Bulgarians voted on Sunday in a presidential runoff marked by regional security threats and economic worries at home.
Acting President Iliana Yotova — who would become Bulgaria’s first elected female president if she wins — faces opposition candidate and former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. Yotova beat Gyurov by a narrow margin of 2.8 percentage points in the first round of voting on October 25, which drew record low turnout — only 23 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, according to election officials.
Polls opened at 7 a.m. for another highly polarised contest in which the candidates will be trying to attract voters with contrasting political visions. The first exit poll results are expected after polls close at 8 p.m., with official results to be announced Monday.
Bulgarians are voting against a backdrop of growing economic hardship and increased drone attacks on Black Sea shipping, which have left several sailors dead or missing.
Yotova is running as an independent. As vice president, she automatically became acting president earlier this year when the former head of state, Rumen Radev, resigned to lead his party to victory in the general election.
The vote is the first major test for Prime Minister Radev’s Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which has endorsed Yotova.
Yotova is expected to continue Radev’s policy of keeping Bulgaria on its European path, while also supporting better relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions.
Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine but remain evasive about possible Russian involvement in drone attacks in the Black Sea region.
