Iotova Wins Bulgaria Presidential Runoff With 58 Percent to Become First Elected Woman President

Photo: Reuters via Al Jazeera

Iliana Iotova has won Bulgaria's presidential runoff with about 58 percent of the vote, beating former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov to become the country's first elected woman president.

Main News Report

Acting President Iliana Iotova won Sunday's runoff in the EU and NATO member state, according to the official count and polling agencies. With about 98 percent of ballots counted, Iotova stood at 57.64 percent, with 1,077,092 votes, against 39.40 percent and 736,334 votes for Gyurov. Gyurov conceded defeat, saying "this is how the Bulgarian citizens have voted" and that the results had to be accepted.

Al Jazeera reported that Iotova, who advocates dialogue with Russia and opposes military aid to Ukraine, received about 58 percent of the vote in Sunday's runoff according to several polling agencies' counts. The Associated Press reported the same margin from Sofia.

• Result: Iotova about 58 percent, Gyurov about 39 percent, on a near-complete official count.
• Turnout: about 29 percent, up from a record low 23 percent in the first round.
• First round (25 October): Iotova 35 percent, Gyurov 32 percent.
• Official results are due by 4 November, and the new presidential term begins on 22 January 2027.

Background Context

Iotova, 62, took over the presidency in January 2026, when Rumen Radev stepped down to run for parliament. She served for years as vice president alongside Radev and earlier as a Member of the European Parliament. Sunday's vote was the first major test for Prime Minister Radev's Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which endorsed Iotova and won 131 of 240 seats in April's parliamentary vote.

The election was held against a backdrop of drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea in October, which left 21 people missing and raised security concerns in Bulgaria and across the region. The presidency is largely ceremonial, but the president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces and carries real weight in foreign policy debates, much like other closely watched contests this season, from Israel's election results to investigations making headlines in Britain's Balmoral inquiry.

Reactions and Statements

Flanked by Radev, a jubilant Iotova declared victory, saying her message had focused on "incomes, peace and the challenges that lie ahead". EU chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Iotova on her win.

Gyurov, backed by reformist pro-Western opposition parties, conceded on Sunday night and said the result must be accepted as it stands. His campaign had argued for a firmly pro-Western course, continued support for Ukraine and closer alignment with EU and NATO partners.

Why This News Matters

• Bulgaria, an EU and NATO member on the Black Sea, has chosen a president who favours dialogue with Moscow and opposes military aid to Ukraine.
• Iotova becomes the first elected woman president in the country's history, winning her own mandate after stepping into the role in January.
• The result strengthens Prime Minister Radev's camp, which now holds both the presidency and a parliamentary majority.

Future Developments

The Central Election Commission is expected to announce the final official results by 4 November. Iotova's elected term begins on 22 January 2027. Attention will now turn to how Sofia balances its EU and NATO commitments with the new president's calls for dialogue with Russia, and to security in the Black Sea after October's attacks on shipping, an issue also watched in talks covered in Pakistan's mediation diplomacy.

Sources

• Al Jazeera, initial results indicate victory for Iotova
• Associated Press, Yotova wins runoff
• Firstpost (AFP), Bulgaria's president wins runoff vote

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