Iotova Is Bulgarias First Elected Female President
What is known and what is not
Iliana Iotova won Sunday's presidential runoff with 57.9% of the vote, against 39.0% for banker and former caretaker PM Andrey Gyurov. Gyurov conceded defeat late Sunday.
Iotova, 61, has been acting president since January 23 2026, when PM Rumen Radev resigned the presidency to lead Progressive Bulgaria into parliamentary elections. Radev's party won a majority in April 2026.
She becomes Bulgaria's first directly elected female head of state. She had already been the first female president by assumption.
The Bulgarian presidency is largely ceremonial. Iotova backs EU and NATO membership but opposes sending military aid to Ukraine and favours negotiated dialogue with Moscow.
The election backdrop: drone attacks on commercial vessels in Bulgaria's Black Sea economic zone in October 2026 left 21 people missing, the first such incidents in the area. Iotova called an emergency Security Council meeting but declined to name Russia as responsible.
Not confirmed:
Candidate positions
| Position | Iotova | Gyurov |
|---|---|---|
| EU and NATO membership | Supports | Supports |
| Military aid to Ukraine | Opposes | Supports |
| Russia dialogue | Favours negotiations | Opposes without conditions |
| Black Sea attacks attribution | Declined to name Russia | Blamed Russia directly |
| Backed by | Progressive Bulgaria / BSP | Pro-Western opposition |
| First round share | 34.76% | 31.95% |
"They understood our message: incomes, peace and the challenges that lie ahead.
"Iotova on election night Nov 1 2026
What happens next
Central Election Commission certifies full results (expected Nov 3-4)
Inauguration for a full five-year term (expected late January 2027)
Black Sea security situation: Iotova proposed a regional meeting of all six Black Sea states; no date set
Bulgaria's stance on Ukraine military aid: Iotova's position puts her at odds with most EU leaders but aligns with PM Radev's government
Sources: Al Jazeera (Nov 1-2 2026), RTÉ News (Nov 2), France24 (Nov 1), BTA Bulgarian News Agency (first-round final results), iz.ru (Gyurov concession). Turnout figures from Bulgaria's Central Election Commission. Vote shares from exit polls by Alpha Research and Trend; official count 72.65% complete as of Nov 2 01:00 EET.
