Bulgarians vote Sunday for president as Black Sea drone attacks and Ukraine war split candidates

The race

Bulgarians are due to vote on Sunday, 25 October, to choose a president from a field of 27 candidates. Polls are scheduled to open at 07:00 local time and close at 20:00. The office is largely ceremonial, yet a president chosen by direct vote gains greater political authority, commands the armed forces, can veto legislation, signs international treaties and appoints ambassadors.

The contest follows the resignation of Rumen Radev, who stepped down as head of state to run in the parliamentary election. Iliana Iotova, a former vice president, has been acting president since January and is the favourite in pre-election polls. Radev's Progressive Bulgaria party won the April parliamentary vote by a clear margin, and Radev then became prime minister.

Two leading candidates, one divided stance on Ukraine

Iotova runs as an independent but has the official backing of Progressive Bulgaria and the Socialist Party, where she began her political career. Her main rival is Andrey Gyurov, who led a caretaker government from February to May and is backed by pro-Western, reformist parties. He has long supported Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv while serving as premier. Speaking at a rally on 22 October, he set out his position:

“I want Bulgaria to have a voice of its own in Europe, a reliable NATO ally that defends its interests through preparedness, strong diplomacy and a clear position.”

Iotova favours a diplomatic end to the war and says Radev backs her in that position. At a rally on the same day, she pressed her case against rivals who favour a prolonged conflict:

“My opponents argue that there must be a war of attrition. The truth is, we are all the ones who are most exhausted.”

Drone attacks in the Black Sea

The campaign has been overshadowed by a series of drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, which likely killed some two dozen international seafarers. Both leading candidates have condemned the strikes, though they differ on the wider war. The government has stopped short of explicitly blaming Russia, but Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the outcome of the strikes benefits the Russian Federation. Bulgaria has asked its allies for help in strengthening its maritime security. Rising energy prices and inflation, which hit rural households hardest, also weigh on voters and shape the candidates' messages.

Rules, rolls and what comes next

RMF, citing official data, puts the number of eligible voters at about 6.5 million, while Adevarul gives 6.6 million registered voters, so the figures differ by source. The rolls also include a large emigrant population, with a foreign ministry report from early 2023 counting more than 2.8 million Bulgarians living abroad. To win in the first round, a candidate needs more than 50% of the votes cast, and turnout must exceed 50%. Pre-vote estimates put turnout below 40%, which would make a runoff on 1 November necessary. The Central Election Commission will announce the final results within three days of the vote.