Bulgarian incumbent president faces pro-Western reformist in runoff on Sunday

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s next president will be elected in a runoff vote after a close race between the two main contenders ended inconclusively, official results showed on Monday.

With almost all ballots counted, the Central Election Commission said that incumbent Iliana Yotova attracted 34.8 percent compared with 32 percent for opposition candidate Andrey Gyurov.

While turnout must be above 50% of the 6.6 million eligible voters for a first-round victory, only 22% had cast their ballot, according to polling agencies. The voter apathy was attributed by observers to a general mistrust in politicians.

The two candidates will pit contrasting political visions against each other in a highly polarized contest on Sunday. Contrary to pre-election expectations by observers for a double-digit difference in favor of Yotova, her opponent showed a surprisingly strong performance, leaving all options open for the runoff.

Bulgarians voted against a backdrop of growing economic hardship and drone attacks on Black Sea shipping, which have left several sailors dead or missing.

The vote was the first major test for the Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party of Prime Minister Rumen Radev after its triumph in parliamentary elections in April. The party had endorsed Yotova.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Radev commented that many voters had stayed home because they believed the outcome had already been decided.

’While one side saw strong voter mobilization, the other appeared less engaged. I believe this could change in the runoff, given the stakes of this election,” he said, adding that the choice next Sunday will be “between peace and war”.

Yotova is running as an independent, but she also has the official backing of Progressive Bulgaria and the Socialist Party, where her career began.

If she wins, Yotova will become Bulgaria’s first elected female president. As vice president, she automatically became president earlier this year when Radev resigned to lead his party in the general election.

Yotova is expected to continue Radev’s policy of keeping Bulgaria on its European path, while also calling for improved relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions. Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine.

Observers say that a victory for Yotova would keep the presidency in the hands of the ruling majority. Such a concentration of power could prevent the effective maintenance of checks and balances on policy decisions by institutions.

Yotova’s challenger is economist Gyurov, a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister who led the country in early 2026. He is backed by the pro-Western, reformist opposition.

Gyurov has often expressed firm support for Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his premiership.

“I want Bulgaria to have a voice of its own in Europe. I want it to be a reliable NATO ally that defends its interests through preparedness, strong diplomacy and a clear position,” he told supporters ahead of the election.

According to Radan Kanev, leader of Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria, one of the parties that back Gyurov, “democrats had been underestimated in these elections” by the ruling parties, polling agencies and the media.

“We saw the mobilization of people who want a strong European Bulgaria and want a balance of powers,” he said.