Iliana Iotova wins Bulgaria's presidential runoff, first elected woman president, reports say

Iliana Iotova (also transliterated Yotova) won Bulgaria's presidential runoff, according to Al Jazeera and Anadolu Agency. Both outlets say she becomes the country's first elected female president. Exit polls reported by Anadolu, CGTN and TASS showed her leading.

Iotova was Bulgaria's sitting head of state at the time of the vote. Anadolu describes her as acting president. CGTN calls her the incumbent president.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not cite final official results or any statement from Bulgaria's election authorities. They also do not state on what basis Al Jazeera described Iotova as the winner.

The vote

According to CGTN, the runoff was held on Sunday, 1 November 2026. Iotova cast her ballot at a polling station in Sofia. Her opponent was Andrey Gurov, a former caretaker prime minister and adjunct professor of finance at the American University in Bulgaria. Nearly 6.6 million voters were expected to cast ballots. Iotova's running mate is Kiril Valchev. Gurov's running mate is Georgi Kandev.

CGTN reported exit polls announced on Bulgarian National TV. Alpha Research projected 52.5% for Iotova, 43.4% for Gurov and 4.1% for the option "I don't support anyone". Myara Sociology Agency projected 51.1% for Iotova, 44.6% for Gurov and 4.3% for "I don't support anyone".

Official results are due no later than Wednesday, according to CGTN. The outlet also reported that, under the Bulgarian Constitution, the candidate with the most votes in the runoff wins. The president is elected directly by voters for a five-year term.

Background

According to CGTN, Iotova, 62, was elected vice president in 2016 and 2021, serving alongside then-President Rumen Radev. She succeeded Radev as head of state, in accordance with the Constitution, after he resigned in January 2026. Her current term expires at the end of January 2027. She served on the National Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party from 2000 to 2016. She also served in the Bulgarian National Assembly and the European Parliament.

What is disputed

Reported figures for Iotova's share of the vote differ. Exit polls cited by CGTN put her at 52.5% (Alpha Research) and 51.1% (Myara Sociology Agency). Anadolu reported that she won with between 56.6% and 58.2% of the vote. The figures may reflect different stages of the count, such as exit polls versus later figures. However, the reports do not state the basis of Anadolu's range, for example exit polls, a partial count or preliminary results.

What the reports do not include

The reports do not include turnout figures, first-round results, or which parties backed each candidate in this election. They do not include any reaction from Iotova, Gurov or their campaigns, including whether Gurov conceded. They do not explain when the new presidential term begins in relation to Iotova's current term ending in January 2027. They do not describe the reasons for Radev's resignation. Most items reviewed by Vocemundi were headlines or summaries; full texts were available only from CGTN.

Analysis

If official results confirm the reported outcome, Iotova would move from acting head of state to an elected president with her own five-year mandate. That could give her office a clearer democratic footing than succession alone. Much still depends on the official count. The gap between CGTN's exit-poll figures and Anadolu's higher range is unexplained, and the final margin could shape how the result is received. The reports also do not show whether Gurov has accepted the outcome. Readers may wish to watch for the election authorities' figures, any statements from both campaigns, and clarity on when the new term begins.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.