Bulgaria Faces Presidential Runoff Amid Prolonged Political Turmoil
Yotova and her running mate, Kiril Valchev, finished first with 34.8% of the vote, followed by Gyurov and Georgi Kandev with 32%, according to the Central Election Commission.
Voter participation in the Oct. 25 first round reached approximately 22.5%, marking the lowest turnout in Bulgaria's post-communist history. A total of 27 candidates had entered the race.
Under Bulgaria's electoral rules, a candidate must secure more than half of all valid votes, with participation exceeding 50% of registered voters, to win the presidency in the first round. When these requirements are not fulfilled, the two candidates with the highest vote totals proceed to a second round.
The presidential contest is unfolding against a backdrop of prolonged political uncertainty. Bulgaria has held eight parliamentary elections since April 2021, seven of which were early votes, as political parties repeatedly struggled to agree on coalitions capable of forming stable governments.
Disputes over power-sharing arrangements have repeatedly derailed efforts to establish regular administrations, leaving the country dependent on caretaker cabinets and prompting further snap elections.
In the most recent parliamentary vote in April, Progressive Bulgaria, led by former President Rumen Radev, secured 131 of the National Assembly's 240 seats, giving it a parliamentary majority.
Yotova, previously Radev's vice president, took over the presidency following his resignation in January. She is now running for a full term with the backing of his Progressive Bulgaria party.
If elected, Yotova would become Bulgaria's first woman to win the presidency through a popular vote. The head of state represents the country, serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and has the authority to veto legislation.
Her challenger, Gyurov, is an economist who previously served as deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank and later led a caretaker government ahead of the April parliamentary elections. He has received support from opposition parties.
Foreign policy has also featured prominently during the campaign, with candidates and voters debating Bulgaria's relations with Russia, Ukraine and its Western partners.
Polling stations are due to open at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT).
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