Iliana Iotova wins presidential election in Bulgaria

On Sunday, November 1, 2026, Bulgaria held the second round of its presidential election, resulting in the victory of incumbent Iliana Iotova. With 99.95% of the vote processed, the ticket of Iotova and running mate Kiril Valchev secured 57.58% of the vote, defeating pro-Western challenger Andrey Gyurov and his running mate Georgi Kandev, who garnered 39.46%. Approximately 2.95% of voters selected the 'I support no one' option, while voter turnout remained low at around 27%.

The election took place against a backdrop of regional security concerns following recent drone attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea. Iotova, who previously served as vice president and became acting president in January following the resignation of Rumen Radev, campaigned on a platform advocating for diplomatic dialogue with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. Her opponent, Gyurov, conceded the election and extended his congratulations.

Iotova is set to become the first woman directly elected as the head of state in Bulgaria. Her victory was acknowledged by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who expressed commitment to continued cooperation on defense, security, and energy independence. The results solidify the position of the current administration, which maintains close ties with Prime Minister Rumen Radev.