In brief
Iliana Iotova and Kiril Valchev were declared winners of Bulgaria’s November 1 runoff, marking the country’s first female head of state. Foreign Bulgarian voters in North Macedonia and Romania turned out in record numbers, while parallel countings by five independent agencies confirmed a decisive win for the Iotova–Valchev ticket. Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Socialist Party leaders praised the result as a sign of stability and a positive step forward.
In Sofia on Sunday, presidential candidate Iliana Iotova and her running mate Kiril Valchev were declared winners of Bulgaria’s runoff election, heralding the country’s first female president. The announcement followed a parallel counting of ballots that confirmed the Iotova–Valchev ticket led by a margin of 56–58% over former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and his running mate Georgi Kandev, according to data from Myara, Gallup International, Trend, Alpha Research and Market Links.
Iliana Iotova greeted voters who had exercised their right to vote, thanking even those who had not supported her campaign. “Their vote means a lot, because we will listen to what they have told us,” she said.
“We ran a positive campaign. I cannot explain who misled Mr Andrey Gurov into waging this attack campaign against our presidential ticket.”Valchev, speaking after the runoff, noted that “twice as many voters supported Bulgaria having its first woman president” and thanked Bulgarians abroad for their participation, saying they would become a priority in his vice‑presidential duties.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who attended the briefing, described the outcome as “the Bulgarian people have chosen the future over the past, peace, stability, normality, and a sustainable and clear outlook.”
Parallel counting in the seven polling stations opened in North Macedonia and the sole Bulgarian embassy polling station in Bucharest revealed a surge in turnout. In Skopje, 491 Bulgarian citizens cast ballots, the highest ever in a Bulgarian election held abroad since 2022; in Bucharest, 327 Bulgarians voted, more than double the 167 who cast ballots in the first‑round election on October 25.
Exit‑poll results published on Bulgarian National TV on November 2 placed Iotova at 52–53% of the vote, according to Alpha Research and Myara Sociology Agency, while Gurov’s share hovered around 43–44%. The remaining 4% expressed “I don’t support anyone.” Official results are expected by the end of Wednesday, according to Xinhua.
Political Reactions Across the Spectrum
Krum Zarkov, co‑chair of the initiative committee backing Iotova and Valchev and leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, hailed the result as a “major, decisive and deserved victory.” He praised the party’s mobilization and organization, stating that the director of the Constitution gives the president a “corrective” role in other institutions.
Certainly, the campaign demonstrated that serious social and public tensions were simmering in Bulgaria. Both those in government and the opposition now have a responsibility to understand their underlying causes and prevent them from developing into conflicts.
Prof. Hristo Pimpirev, another co‑chair, added that Bulgaria would now wake up with its first woman president and expressed optimism for a serious approach to policy within the European family.
