Acting President Iliana Yotova is on course to become Bulgaria’s first elected female head of state after securing a commanding lead in Sunday’s presidential runoff, preliminary vote counts show.
Yotova received around 58% of the votes, according to several polling agencies, while her rival, former interim prime minister Andrey Gyurov, trailed with approximately 38%.
Gyurov, who was backed by reformist pro-Western opposition parties, has conceded defeat, saying the outcome reflected the will of Bulgarian voters and had to be accepted.
“This is how the Bulgarian citizens have voted,” he said.
Official results were not expected until Monday.
The election marked the first major test for Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which endorsed Yotova.
The party secured 131 of the 240 parliamentary seats in April’s election, giving it an outright majority.
Observers said Yotova’s victory would keep the presidency under the influence of the governing majority, potentially making it harder for institutions to maintain effective checks and balances over policy decisions.
The 62-year-old took over the presidency in January after Radev stepped down to contest the parliamentary election. She was now seeking her own electoral mandate.
If confirmed, her victory is expected to maintain Radev’s approach of keeping Bulgaria aligned with Europe while also pursuing closer relations with Russia and calling for sanctions against Moscow to be lifted.
After casting her ballot on Sunday, Yotova said she had voted for a Bulgaria capable of making independent decisions and maintaining a strong voice internationally.
“I voted for national consensus through dialogue, for institutions that work for citizens, for a strong state with its own foreign policy in a strong Europe,” she told reporters.
Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. Although most parliamentary parties support the country’s pro-Western direction, strong pro-Russia sentiment rooted in historical and cultural ties continues to divide public opinion, particularly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine but have been less forthcoming about possible Russian involvement in drone attacks in the Black Sea region.
During a televised debate, Yotova argued that any settlement would need to involve both Ukraine and Russia, insisting that “peace could come only through negotiations”.
She also proposed a security meeting involving all six Black Sea countries to establish a moratorium on hostilities.
Although Bulgaria’s presidency is largely ceremonial, the position carries several important responsibilities. The president leads the armed forces, can veto legislation, signs international treaties and appoints ambassadors.
While major policy decisions require parliamentary approval, direct election gives the president a degree of political authority.
Bulgarian presidents serve five-year terms and are limited to a maximum of two terms.
