Sofia:Bulgarians are set to return to the polls this Sunday for a presidential runoff election between acting President Iliana Yotova and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. This follows a first-round vote where neither candidate achieved the majority needed to secure the presidency.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, Yotova, alongside her running mate Kiril Valchev, garnered 34.8% of the vote, while Gyurov, with Georgi Kandev, received 32%, as reported by the Central Election Commission. The initial round saw a turnout of approximately 22.5%, marking the lowest in Bulgaria's post-communist history.
In the first round, 27 candidates competed, but under Bulgaria’s electoral rules, a candidate must receive more than half of the valid votes with a turnout exceeding 50% of registered voters to win. The absence of these conditions necessitated the upcoming runoff between the two leading candidates.
This election occurs in a context of political instability, with Bulgaria having conducted eight parliamentary elections since April 2021, including seven early elections, due to challenges in forming stable governments. Political parties have struggled with coalition agreements, leading to the collapse of successive government formation attempts.
The latest parliamentary election in April saw Progressive Bulgaria, led by former President Rumen Radev, secure 131 of the 240 seats in the National Assembly, achieving an outright majority. Yotova, who was Radev's vice president, assumed the presidency following his resignation in January and is now seeking a full presidential mandate with the support of Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria party.
A win for Yotova would make her Bulgaria's first elected female president, with responsibilities including representing the nation, serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and having the power to veto legislation. Gyurov, an economist and former deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, served as caretaker prime minister before the parliamentary elections and is supported by opposition parties.
The campaign has been marked by debates over Bulgaria's foreign policy and its relations with Russia, Ukraine, and Western allies. Polling stations are scheduled to open at 7 am (0500GMT) and close at 8 pm (1800GMT).