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Yotova Appears to Win Bulgaria Presidential Runoff

Bulgaria's acting president leads in initial runoff results, becoming first female head of state.

New York Editorial News Desk November 1, 2026 1 min read

The Brief

  • Yotova received 58% of the vote in initial count.
  • Gyurov conceded defeat with around 38% support.
  • Official results are expected by Monday.

Initial results from Bulgaria's presidential runoff indicate that acting President Iliana Yotova has secured the majority of votes, with 58% of the tally reported by several polling agencies.

Former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, who ran on a reformist pro-Western platform, conceded defeat, stating that the results reflected the will of Bulgarian citizens.

Official confirmation of the results is not expected until Monday, though the outcome appears to solidify Yotova's position as the first elected female president in Bulgaria.

Yotova, who assumed the presidency in January, is backed by Prime Minister Rumen Radev's Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which holds a parliamentary majority.

A win for Yotova would maintain the presidency within the governing majority, potentially limiting checks and balances on policy decisions by other institutions, according to observers.

Yotova has pledged to continue Radev's pro-European policies while also pursuing improved relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions.

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