Bulgaria's acting President Iliana Iotova won the November 1, 2026 presidential runoff election with over 51% of the vote, defeating former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. Iotova becomes Bulgaria's first elected female president, securing a victory that cements Prime Minister Rumen Radev's Kremlin-friendly governance. The election occurred amid heightened security tensions following deadly Black Sea drone attacks on merchant shipping that left roughly two dozen seafarers dead or missing.
Bulgarian presidential runoff election results
- ▪Bulgaria's acting President Iliana Iotova won the presidential runoff election
- ▪Iliana Iotova's victory makes her the first elected female president in the history of Bulgaria
First round election details
- ▪Iliana Iotova secured 35% of the vote while Andrey Gyurov received 32% in the October 25, 2026 first round of Bulgaria's presidential election
- ▪Voter turnout in the October 25, 2026 first round of the Bulgarian presidential election reached a record low of 23%
Iliana Iotova's vice presidency
- ▪Iliana Iotova became acting president earlier in 2026 after Rumen Radev resigned as president to lead his party to a general election win
- ▪Iliana Iotova was elected vice-president of Bulgaria alongside Rumen Radev in both 2016 and 2021
Andrey Gyurov's background and political support
- ▪Andrey Gyurov was supported in his presidential campaign by reformist, pro-Western parties
- ▪Andrey Gyurov signed a security cooperation agreement with Ukraine during his tenure as interim prime minister in early 2026
Foreign policy positions on Ukraine and Russia
- ▪Iliana Iotova opposes military aid to Ukraine and favours peace negotiations to resolve the war
- ▪Iliana Iotova proposed holding a security meeting of all six Black Sea countries to establish a moratorium on regional hostilities
- ▪Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev pledged to end arms exports to Ukraine and opposes sanctions against Russia
Drone attacks on Black Sea shipping
- ▪Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that the outcomes of the drone strikes on merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast benefit the Russian Federation
- ▪A Greek container ship sank on October 28, 2026 after being struck by sea drones off the Bulgarian coast
- ▪Drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast in October 2026 left approximately two dozen seafarers dead or missing
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