Bulgaria holds a presidential election dominated by economic hardship and the Ukraine war
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarians headed to the polls on Sunday to elect their next president in a campaign centered on growing economic hardship and drone attacks on Black Sea shipping.
The vote will also be the first major test for the Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party of Prime Minister Rumen Radev after its triumph in parliamentary elections in April.
Despite a record number of candidates, the race is expected to be decided in a runoff between incumbent President Iliana Yotova, backed by Radev’s party, and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, who is backed by pro-Western opposition parties.
The campaign has focused heavily on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the widening hostilities in the Black Sea, where recent drone attacks on commercial vessels off Bulgaria’s coast have heightened security concerns in the European Union and NATO member country.
The strikes have raised concerns over Russia’s intentions to escalate the conflict and prompted the government to ask Bulgaria’s partners for assistance to strengthen its maritime security.
Candidates have also sought to address public anxiety over rising energy prices and inflation, as many families, particularly in rural areas, struggle to make ends meet.
Polling stations, which opened at 7 a.m., are to close at 8 p.m., after which initial exit polls will be announced while preliminary results are expected on Monday.
The election will likely go into a runoff as none of the 27 candidates is expected to win outright. Turnout must be above 50% of 6.6 million registered voters, and the winner needs a majority of votes. Projections have Sunday’s turnout at less than 40%, indicating a likely Nov. 1 runoff.
Yotova, a 62-year-old journalist and former member of the European Parliament, is the country’s incumbent president and a front-runner in the race.
She previously served as vice president under Radev, during his two terms as head of state. She took over the presidency in January 2026, when Radev stepped down to run for parliament, and is now seeking her own mandate.
She’s running as an independent but also has the official backing of Progressive Bulgaria and the Socialist Party, where her career began.
If she wins, Yotova will become Bulgaria’s first elected female president.
Analysts expect her to continue Radev’s policy to keep Bulgaria on its European path but at the same time call for improved relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions. Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine.
Addressing supporters at a rally this week, Yotova said she “advocated for peace through negotiations, rather than force”.
Observers say that Yotova’s victory would keep the presidency in the hands of the ruling majority, and such concentration of power could prevent institutions maintaining effective checks and balances on policy decisions.
Yotova’s main challenger is economist Andrei Gyurov, a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister who led the country in the early months of 2026. He is supported by the pro-Western reformist opposition.
Gyurov, who has often expressed firm support for Ukraine, signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his premiership.
“I want Bulgaria to have a voice of its own in Europe. A reliable NATO ally that defends its interests through preparedness, strong diplomacy and a clear position,” he told supporters this week.
Latest opinion polls give Yotova an edge in the first round of the race by giving her between 40 percent and 45 percent, versus Gyurov’s 25-30 %, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
But some observers believe that Gyurov could have a better chance in a runoff, where results can be influenced by voters who supported candidates eliminated in the first round.
Presidents in Bulgaria are elected directly for a five-year term and can serve no more than two terms. While the post is primarily ceremonial, the direct election gives the president greater political authority. The president leads the armed forces and can veto legislation, signs international treaties and appoints ambassadors.