Bulgarians vote in presidential runoff election

Bulgarians are voting against a backdrop of growing economic hardship and Black Sea drone attacks. Photo: AP PHOTO Bulgarians are voting in a presidential runoff marked by regional security threats and economic worries. 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 in Sunday's poll. Yotova beat Gyurov by a narrow margin of 2.8 percentage points in the first round of voting on October 25, which drew a record-low turnout - only 23 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, according to election officials. Acting President Iliana Yotova could become Bulgaria's first elected female president. (EPA PHOTO) Polls opened at 7am Sunday (4pm AEDT) 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 8pm (5am Monday AEDT), with official results to be announced on Monday local time. 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. During a televised debate between the two presidential contenders this week, Yotova advocated a settlement involving both Ukraine and Russia, saying "peace could come only through negotiations". She also proposed a security meeting involving all six Black Sea countries to sign a moratorium on hostilities. Andrey Gyurov is a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister. (AP PHOTO) Observers say a victory for Yotova would keep the presidency in the hands of the ruling majority. Such a concentration of power could prevent the effective maintenance of checks and balances on policy decisions by institutions, they say. Yotova's challenger is economist Gyurov, a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister who led the country in early 2026. He is backed by the pro-Western, reformist opposition. Gyurov has often expressed firm support for Ukraine and signed a security co-operation agreement with Kyiv during his premiership. Gyurov said he wanted Bulgaria to be a reliable NATO ally, able to stand up for its interests with strong diplomacy and a firm position. Gyurov criticised the government for being reluctant to name Russia as the aggressor in the Russia-Ukraine war. He called for identifying the threat and for Bulgarian participation in EU decisions from the outset. "When you have no position and are not at the table, you are in fact on the menu," he said. Australian Associated Press More from World News Be the first to know when news breaks. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarGuide, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Real local, smart property news for regional Australia Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Stay in the know on news that matters to you with twice weekly newsletters from The Senior. As it happens Subscriber Only Get the very best journalism from The Advocate by signing up to our special reports. The latest news, results & expert analysis. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on.