Bulgarians vote in highly polarized presidential runoff overshadowed by Ukraine war

Bulgarians on Sunday began voting in a highly contested presidential runoff following a tight race between the two main contenders last weekend.

The November 1 runoff pits two competing visions of Bulgaria against each other. Moscow-friendly incumbent Iliana Yotova opposes military aid to Ukraine, while former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov is backed by the pro-Western opposition.

In last Sunday's first round, which saw voter turnout fall to a historic low, Yotova won with 34.76% of the vote, less than three percentage points ahead of Gyurov with 31.95%.

Although Bulgaria's presidency has largely ceremonial duties, the president can appoint interim governments during political crises, serve as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and veto legislation.

The war in Ukraine has become a central issue in the election, with voters heading to the polls amid growing security concerns in the Black Sea, which borders Bulgaria, following a rise in drone attacks targeting commercial vessels.

Yotova has presented herself as a "president of peace" who favors dialogue with Moscow.

In a TV debate before the runoff, Gyurov accused Yotova of avoiding direct criticism of Russia over the Black Sea attacks.

"Russia must stop its aggression so that the next steps can be taken. Let us name the country from which the threats are coming," he said.

In response, Yotova argued that "peace can come only through negotiations," and maintained that continued aid for Ukraine "leads only to more destruction and the deaths of many people on both sides."

If elected, Yotova is expected to pursue a similar approach to Prime Minister Rumen Radev — keeping Bulgaria on its European path while seeking closer ties with Russia and advocating the lifting of sanctions.

Her opponent Gyurov previously served as deputy governor of Bulgaria's central bank and as caretaker prime minister, leading the country in early 2026.

He has repeatedly voiced strong support for Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his premiership.

After the first round of voting, Gyurov said that Bulgaria faced a choice "between two personalities, two directions, and two ways of exercising presidential powers."