Bulgaria's acting president, Iliana Iotova, has won the country's presidential runoff, according to near-final results from the Central Election Commission published on Monday. With 99.95% of precinct protocols processed, the Iotova-Valchev ticket took 57.58% of the vote, or about 1.1 million ballots. Opponents Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev received 39.47%, or about 749,500 votes, while about 2.95% of voters chose the "I support no one" option.

From first round to runoff

The runoff followed a first round on 25 October in which no candidate secured the majority needed for outright victory. Iotova and running mate Kiril Valchev led that round with 34.6% of the vote, ahead of Gyurov and Kandev on 32%, sending both tickets through to Sunday's second round. The wider margin in the runoff therefore marked a clear widening of a much narrower first-round gap.

Iotova, formerly vice president, became acting president in January after Radev resigned to enter the parliamentary race, which he won. Reuters reported that Radev supports Iotova and that both have called for a diplomatic end to the Ukraine war. The result was reported amid low voter turnout, a recurring feature of recent Bulgarian elections.

What happens next

If the Central Election Commission formally confirms the result, Iotova will become Bulgaria's first elected female head of state. That formal announcement is the remaining step before the outcome is final. Her victory also raises the question of how the presidency will work alongside the government that emerged from the parliamentary contest, and how Sofia positions itself on the war in Ukraine and relations with the European Union in the months ahead.

Sources: Reuters via Y'all 106.7; Central Election Commission near-final results as reported on 2 November 2026.