In brief
Bulgarian voters elected Iliana Yotova as the country’s first female president, securing 57.581% of the votes in the second round. 1,093,000 voters supported Yotova/Valchev, while 750,000 backed the opponents, and turnout remained low at 26.8%. Official results will be finalized by November 4, and Yotova is set to assume office on January 22, 2027.
Iliana Yotova and her running mate Kiril Valchev won Bulgaria’s presidential election with 57.581% of the vote in the second round, the Central Election Commission released on November 2, making Yotova the country’s first female president.
According to the commission’s data, 1,093,000 voters chose Yotova and Valchev, while 750,000 voted for Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev, who received 39.467% of the ballot. About 56,000 voters did not support either candidate. The turnout was around 26.8%, a drop from the 22.98% in the first round, and the Interior Ministry said no serious violations were recorded during the election.
Yotova thanked all voters for participating in the election, a gesture highlighted in the official statements. Early exit polls had shown a similar lead, with a Trend survey reporting Yotova at 58.1% in the runoff.
The commission will present the final verified results by November 4, after a re‑verification. Yotova and Valchev are set to take office on January 22, 2027, for a five‑year term.
