Europeupdated 18m ago2 min read
Iliana Iotova Wins Bulgaria Presidential Runoff, Exit Polls Project First Elected Female President
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Iliana Iotova wins Bulgarian presidential runoff, exit polls project first elected female president. Exit polls show Iotova favors dialogue with Moscow and opposes Ukraine military aid.
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Runoff, exit polls, drones
Bulgaria’s acting President Iliana Iotova won a presidential run-off vote on Sunday, with exit polls showing her set to become the country’s first elected female president. The vote took place amid security concerns in the European Union and Nato member following a series of drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea. The race for the largely ceremonial post pitted Iotova, an ally of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, against Andrey Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister backed by the pro-Western opposition.
Iotova, who favours dialogue with Russia and opposes military aid to Ukraine, was projected to receive between 50.7% and 52.5% of the vote, compared with between 43.4% and 44% for Gyurov, according to three different exit polls. The election backdrop included drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast in the past month, which have sparked international condemnation and concerns about the growing reach of the war in Ukraine.
Voices on Russia and war
Krassimira Kostova, a 64-year-old teacher in Sofia, said she voted despite dissatisfaction with both candidates, telling AFP: "I don’t like either of the two candidates, but I don’t like the return of communism we’ve been seeing in recent years either. That’s why I came to vote,".
Petar Doitchinov, a 67-year-old retired engineer, said he voted for "the lesser evil", adding that neither candidate matched his "vision of democracy".
Gyurov criticised Iotova in a television debate for not explicitly blaming Russia for the Black Sea attacks, saying: "Russia must stop its aggression so that the next steps can be taken,".
Iotova maintained that "peace can come only through negotiations," and after voting she said she wanted "Bulgaria to be strong in a strong Europe" and remain "sovereign in its decisions".
What the result changes
If Iotova’s victory is confirmed, Bulgaria’s presidency would shift to the first elected female head of state, with the post described as largely ceremonial but still carrying roles including commander-in-chief of the armed forces. DW reported that the president can appoint interim governments during political crises and veto legislation, and it said direct election gives the office greater political authority. Iotova, who opposes military aid to Ukraine and favours dialogue with Russia, framed her message around "incomes, peace and the challenges that lie ahead," after initial results projected her at around 58% of the vote.
Gyurov conceded defeat saying that "this is how the Bulgarian citizens have voted," and added that the results had to be accepted as they stood. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Iotova, saying on X: "For a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe," as the election remained overshadowed by drone attacks in the Black Sea.