Bulgarians vote with 23% turnout in contested presidential runoff

Only 23% of eligible voters cast ballots in the first round of this Bulgarian presidential election, a record low figure reported by election officials. That lack of participation set the stage for Sunday's runoff, where citizens decided between acting President Iliana Yotova and former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov.

Yotova led Gyurov by 2.8 percentage points in the October 25 vote. She runs as an independent candidate and would become the country's first elected female president if she wins. Her rise to the acting presidency came earlier this year when former head of state Rumen Radev resigned to lead his party in the general election.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. local time. Exit polls were expected to release data after voting ended at 8 p.m., with official results scheduled for announcement on Monday. The contest pits two contrasting political visions against each other in a deeply divided electorate.

The vote took place while drone attacks on Black Sea shipping killed or left several sailors missing. Economic hardship also weighed on voters. Yotova is endorsed by Radev's Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which views the race as a test of its influence. She supports keeping Bulgaria on its European path while improving relations with Russia and lifting sanctions.

During a television debate this week, Yotova argued that peace in Ukraine could come only through negotiations. She proposed a security meeting among the six Black Sea countries to sign a moratorium on hostilities. Both she and Radev have called for a diplomatic end to the war but remain vague about Russian involvement in regional drone strikes.

Gyurov, an economist and former central bank deputy governor, leads the pro-Western opposition. He served as caretaker prime minister in early 2026 and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv. He describes his goal as making Bulgaria a reliable NATO ally that stands up for its interests through strong diplomacy and a firm position.

Gyurov criticized the government for hesitating to name Russia as the aggressor in the Ukraine conflict. He wants Bulgaria identified as a key partner in EU decisions from the start. “When you have no position and are not at the table, you are in fact on the menu,” he said.