Bulgaria’s interim president, Iliana Yotova, has won the country’s presidential runoff, according to national broadcaster BNT, citing the Central Election Commission. Yotova received 57.4% of the vote, comfortably defeating pro-European candidate Andrey Gyurov, who took 39.4%.
The result makes Yotova the first woman elected president of Bulgaria. She secured the support of nearly 1.1 million voters, while Gyurov, a former interim prime minister backed by reformist and pro-Western opposition parties, received around 750,000 votes. Turnout was low: by 8 p.m. on Sunday, only 29% of eligible voters had cast ballots.
Gyurov conceded defeat on Sunday evening, saying that the results reflected how Bulgarian citizens had voted despite differences between exit polls and the vote count. He thanked voters and the parties that supported his campaign, and urged the public to remain vigilant to ensure that the candidates’ promises are fulfilled.
The runoff was strongly influenced by the war in Ukraine. During the campaign, Yotova repeatedly called for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and presented herself as a “president of peace.” Gyurov, by contrast, campaigned on closer relations with Western partners and stronger support for Ukraine.
Yotova’s victory is also a success for the pro-Russian Progressive Bulgaria party, led by Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who endorsed her. Yotova, 62, became interim president in January after Radev resigned to run for prime minister. He subsequently won the legislative elections in April by a comfortable margin.
The Bulgarian presidency does not hold executive power, and the government is responsible for the country’s foreign policy. The president commands the armed forces and can veto legislation.
Sources: Observador.