Politics · Sofia, Bulgaria · October 25, 2026

Bulgaria's presidential race heads to November 1 runoff

Reported by 8 outlets · first reported Oct 25, 3:19 AM ET

Bulgaria's presidential election will go to a runoff on November 1 after no candidate won outright on Sunday. Incumbent Iliana Yotova led the first round. She will face pro-Western reformist Andrey Gyurov, a former caretaker prime minister, who performed better than expected. Turnout was a record low.

Why it matters

The runoff will decide whether an EU and NATO member leans toward Europe or keeps closer ties with Russia.

Background

Bulgaria's vote was shaped by deep divisions over Russia's war in Ukraine. It came after deadly drone strikes in the Black Sea. Yotova served as deputy to former president Rumen Radev.

The story so far

1. Oct 25Bulgaria's presidential race heads to November 1 runoff
2. Nov 1Iotova wins Bulgarian presidential runoff, exit polls show
3. Nov 2Iotova wins Bulgaria's presidential runoff

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Sources

• PBS NewsHour ↗Oct 25, 4:39 PM ET
• DW ↗Oct 25, 3:19 AM ET

This summary was written automatically from the reporting linked above; follow the sources for the full story. How One Turn works.

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