Bulgaria heads to presidential runoff as Yotova faces Gyurov
No candidate won an outright majority in the first round of Bulgaria's presidential election. Incumbent Iliana Yotova and Andrey Gyurov will meet in a runoff on 1 November.
Bulgaria's presidential election will go to a second round on 1 November, after no candidate secured an outright majority in the first round. The runoff will pit the current president, Iliana Yotova, against Andrey Gyurov, according to exit polls of voters.
Who is in the runoff
Yotova took office in January 2026 after Rumen Radev resigned, becoming the first woman to hold the presidency in Bulgaria. She is backed by the ruling party Progressive Bulgaria, which is described as pro-Russian and eurosceptic. Gyurov is supported by pro-Western opposition parties.
First-round results
Yotova finished first but did not reach the absolute majority of votes that would have secured victory immediately. Polls carried out by the social and market research firms Alpha Research and Myara indicate that 35% of voters backed Yotova, while slightly more than 32% voted for Gyurov.
These figures come from surveys of voters rather than final official results. In the second round, voters will choose between the incumbent, supported by the governing party, and a candidate backed by the pro-Western opposition.
