Published on •Updated
Acting President Iliana Yotova is apparently the winner of the second round of Bulgaria’s presidential election, according to the first results of the vote count on Sunday.
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The race for this essentially ceremonial post pitted Yotova, an ally of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, against Andrei Gyurov, a banker and former interim prime minister supported by the pro-Western opposition.
Yotova received between 57.4% and 58.2% of the vote, according to estimates from several polling institutes, far ahead of Gyurov, who received between 38.6% and 39.6%.
If official results confirm, Yotova would become Bulgaria’s first elected female head of state.
Gyurov admitted defeat, saying “this is how Bulgarian citizens voted” and added that the results should be accepted as they are.
The war in Ukraine, close to Bulgaria’s borders, played an important role in the elections in this country located on NATO’s eastern flank.
Throughout the campaign, Yotova repeatedly advocated a peaceful solution for Ukraine through negotiations with Russia. She said she wanted to be a “president of peace” for Bulgaria.
Gyurov, on the other hand, signaled closer alignment with Western partners and stronger support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s war of aggression.
The vote was the first major test for Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s pro-Moscow Progressive Bulgaria party, which has backed Yotova. The 62-year-old assumed the presidency in January, when Radev resigned to run in the parliamentary elections.
Observers expect her to continue Radev’s policy of keeping Bulgaria on the European path, while supporting better relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions.
Elections in the southeastern EU country were overshadowed by the conflict in Ukraine. In recent weeks, drone attacks on merchant ships have become increasingly frequent in Bulgaria’s Black Sea economic zone, as well as neighboring Romania.
The Bulgarian presidency is above all ceremonial. The head of state has no executive power and all major policies must be approved by Parliament. However, direct election gives the president greater political authority. The president directs the armed forces, can veto legislation, signs international treaties, and appoints ambassadors.
Bulgarian presidents are directly elected for a five-year term and cannot serve more than two terms.
Additional sources • AFP, AP
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