Bulgaria's first-round turnout hit 23% ahead of final vote

Only 23% of eligible voters cast ballots in the first round of Bulgaria's presidential election on October 25. Election officials reported that record low participation preceded the final vote held on Sunday, November 1.

Acting President Iliana Yotova led former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov by 2.8 percentage points in that earlier round. Yotova assumed the acting presidency earlier this year after Rumen Radev resigned to lead his party in the general election. She now runs as an independent candidate.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. Sunday for the runoff. Election officials scheduled the first exit poll results for release after polls closed at 8 p.m. The official winner announcement is set for Monday, November 2.

The campaign took place against a backdrop of economic hardship and rising security threats. Drone attacks on Black Sea shipping have left several sailors dead or missing. Both candidates have called for a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine but have avoided specifying Russian involvement in the recent drone strikes.

Yotova is endorsed by the Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party. She advocates keeping Bulgaria on a European path while improving relations with Russia and lifting sanctions. During a televised debate this week, she proposed a security meeting among all six Black Sea countries to sign a moratorium on hostilities. She stated that peace could come only through negotiations.

Gyurov, a former central bank deputy governor, is backed by the pro-Western reformist opposition. He expressed firm support for Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his time as caretaker prime minister in early 2026. He wants Bulgaria to act as a reliable NATO ally with strong diplomacy.

Gyurov criticized the current government for reluctance to name Russia as the aggressor in the Ukraine conflict. He argued for identifying the threat and ensuring Bulgaria participates in EU decisions from the start. He noted that when a country has no position and is not at the table, it is in fact on the menu.