Bulgarians are voting in a presidential runoff between acting President Iliana Yotova and former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov, with polling stations scheduled to close at 8 p.m. local time on Sunday. Official results are expected on Monday.
Yotova won 34.6% of the vote in the first round on October 26, while Gyurov received 32%. Neither candidate secured the majority required to win outright, sending the contest to a second round. Turnout in the first round was reported at about 23%, an unusually low level.
The election is taking place amid renewed concern over security in the Black Sea. Drone attacks on commercial vessels have raised alarm after a Greek container ship sank, while the fate of roughly two dozen seafarers remained uncertain. The incidents have added urgency to debates over maritime security and the wider consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Both candidates condemned the attacks and called for a diplomatic end to the war. Yotova is backed by Progressive Bulgaria, the party associated with Prime Minister Rumen Radev, while Gyurov has the support of pro-European reformist forces and advocates continued assistance to Ukraine and a stronger NATO role.
Although Bulgaria’s presidency is largely ceremonial, the result is being watched for its implications for the country’s foreign-policy debate and its approach to regional security. Reuters and the Associated Press report that the final outcome will depend on the vote count expected to be completed after polling ends.
Photo: Mikhail | luxkstn / Unsplash
