Bulgarians are voting for a president from a field of 27 candidates. A first-round victory requires both a majority of votes and participation by at least half the electorate; otherwise the leading two candidates face a November 1 runoff. Incumbent Iliana Iotova and former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov lead a contest shaped partly by contrasting approaches to Russia and Ukraine.
Voting opened in Bulgaria’s presidential election on 25 October, with 27 candidates seeking a five-year term beginning in January 2027. The field is the largest since the country began direct democratic elections for the office. About 6.59 million citizens are eligible to vote, including 46,001 first-time voters, according to figures announced by the Central Electoral Commission.[1], [2]
A candidate needs a majority of votes and turnout of at least half the electorate to win in the first round. If those requirements are not met, the leading two candidates proceed to a runoff scheduled for 1 November. The participation expectation cited before the election was below 40 per cent, making turnout an important condition alongside the candidates’ vote shares.[1], [2]
Machine voting is available in Bulgarian polling stations with more than 300 registered voters, subject to exceptions for settings such as mobile ballot boxes and medical institutions. The domestic deployment comprises 11,622 machines. Abroad, voters have access to 613 polling stations in 60 countries, with the United Kingdom, Türkiye and Germany hosting the largest numbers. Authorities provided 280 machines for 242 stations abroad. Warsaw, Bucharest, Bratislava, Budapest and Helsinki offer machine voting for the first time.[2]
Incumbent Iliana Iotova and former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov are the leading contenders. Iotova took over the presidency in January after Rumen Radev left office; he subsequently became prime minister following April’s parliamentary election and supports her candidacy. Gyurov signed a security agreement with Ukraine while leading the caretaker government.[1]
Bulgaria is a member of both the European Union and NATO. Its president commands the armed forces, can veto legislation and has duties involving treaties and ambassadors, although everyday policy is primarily the government’s responsibility. An Alpha Research survey put Iotova at 41 per cent and Gyurov at 28 per cent before voting. Those figures are polling estimates rather than counted ballots.[1]
