Bulgarian Voters Choose Between Yotova and Gyurov as Runoff Reflects Security and Economic Tensions

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarians voted on Sunday in a presidential runoff, facing regional security threats and economic difficulties at home.

Acting President Iliana Yotova, who would become Bulgaria’s first elected female president if victorious, is opposed by former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. In the first round on Oct. 25, Yotova narrowly led Gyurov by 2.8 percentage points amid a record‑low turnout of only 23 % of eligible voters.

Polling began at 7 a.m. for a highly polarized contest, with exit‑poll results expected after the 8 p.m. closing. Official results are slated for announcement on Monday.

Bulgarians are casting their ballots against a backdrop of growing economic hardship and heightened drone attacks on Black Sea shipping, which have claimed several sailors dead or missing.

Yotova is running as an independent. She assumed the acting presidency earlier this year after former President Rumen Radev stepped down to lead his party to victory in a general election.

The runoff serves as the first major test for Prime Minister Radev’s Moscow‑friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which has endorsed Yotova.

Yotova is expected to continue President Radev’s policy of keeping Bulgaria on a European trajectory while also advocating for improved relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions.

Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine but remain cautious about possible Russian involvement in the Black Sea region’s drone attacks.

During a televised debate, Yotova advocated a settlement involving both Ukraine and Russia, stating that “peace could come only through negotiations.” She also proposed a security meeting of all six Black Sea nations to sign a moratorium on hostilities.

Observers note that a Yotova victory would keep the presidency in the hands of the ruling majority, potentially concentrating power and complicating the maintenance of checks and balances on policy decisions by other institutions.

Her opponent, economist Andrey Gyurov, a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister in early 2026, is backed by the pro‑Western reformist opposition.

Gyurov has repeatedly expressed strong support for Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his tenure as caretaker prime minister.

He says he wants Bulgaria to be a reliable NATO ally capable of defending its interests through robust diplomacy and a firm stance.

Gyurov criticized the government’s reluctance to explicitly name Russia as the aggressor in the Russia‑Ukraine war. He called for identifying the threat and ensuring Bulgaria’s participation in EU decisions from the outset, adding, “When you have no position and are not at the table, you are in fact on the menu.”

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