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Iliana Iotova becomes the first woman elected president of Bulgaria

Acting President Iliana Iotova, an ally of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, won Sunday's runoff with 57.6% of the vote to 39.5% for former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, official results show. The vote came as drone attacks on ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast have killed at least 24 seafarers.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-11-02T07:42:00-08:00

AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below

Iliana Iotova speaks at a lectern in front of the Bulgarian coat of arms

What happened

Iliana Iotova, who has been acting president since January, won Sunday's runoff to become the first woman elected president of Bulgaria, official results showed Monday, the Associated Press reported. She beat Andrey Gyurov, 50, a former caretaker prime minister, Reuters reported. Gyurov conceded, saying "this is how the Bulgarian citizens have voted," according to the AP. Her win is a political boost for Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who backed her.

Why it matters

In Bulgaria the presidency is largely ceremonial, and parliament holds most decision-making power. But the result gives Radev's camp both the government and the presidency as Bulgaria, a NATO and European Union member, faces a run of drone attacks on merchant ships off its Black Sea coast. The attacks over the past month have killed at least 24 seafarers, Reuters reported. Both Iotova and Gyurov condemned them, and Radev said the strikes' outcome "benefits the Russian Federation."

More context

The official count: Bulgaria's Central Election Commission lists the Iotova ticket with 1,093,852 votes, or 57.566%, and the Gyurov ticket with 750,251 votes, or 39.483%. That is a margin of 343,601 votes. Each candidate ran with a vice-presidential partner: Iotova with Valchev and Gyurov with Kandev, according to the commission's results page.

The two candidates: Iotova is a former member of the European Parliament. She became acting president when Radev resigned the presidency to run in, and win, a parliamentary election on what many political analysts considered a Kremlin-friendly ticket, Reuters said. Both she and Radev have called for a diplomatic end to Russia's war in Ukraine. Gyurov had the support of pro-Western reformist parties, has long backed Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv while serving as caretaker prime minister.

What's still unknown: Who is behind the drone attacks on ships, and whether a Radev-aligned presidency will change Bulgaria's stance on aid to Ukraine. Reuters did not report any change in policy announced on Monday.

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Editorial sourcing notes

Vote totals are from Bulgaria's Central Election Commission results page as of Monday morning. Background on the candidates and the Black Sea drone attacks is from Reuters. Photos are official presidency file photos from 2026.

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