Sofia: Incumbent President Iliana Yotova is leading Bulgaria's presidential runoff, according to exit polls, with surveys by several polling organisations giving her around 52 per cent of the vote. Former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, backed by reformist pro-Western opposition parties, is trailing with approximately 44 per cent. Partial official results are expected later Sunday.
If confirmed, Yotova would become Bulgaria's first elected female head of state.
The vote marks the first major test for the Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which has endorsed Yotova. In April's parliamentary election, the party won 131 of the 240 seats, securing an outright majority.
Observers say a victory for Yotova would keep the presidency in the hands of the governing majority, potentially weakening institutional checks and balances on policy decisions.
Yotova, 62, took over the presidency in January after Rumen Radev stepped down to contest the parliamentary election. She is now seeking her own elected mandate and is expected to continue Radev's policy of keeping Bulgaria on its European path while supporting closer relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions.
After casting her vote on Sunday, Yotova said she had voted for a Bulgaria that makes its own decisions and maintains a strong voice internationally.
“I voted for national consensus through dialogue, for institutions that work for citizens, for a strong state with its own foreign policy in a strong Europe,” she told reporters.
The presidential election comes amid growing security concerns over a series of drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast over the past month. The incidents have drawn international condemnation and raised concerns about the expanding reach of Russia's war on Ukraine.
Both leading presidential candidates have condemned the attacks. Radev, who backs Yotova, said the outcome of the strikes “benefits the Russian Federation”, according to Al Jazeera. Both candidates have also called for a diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine.
During a televised debate, Yotova advocated a settlement involving both Ukraine and Russia, saying that “peace could come only through negotiations”. She also proposed a security meeting involving all six Black Sea countries to sign a moratorium on hostilities.
Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. While there is broad parliamentary consensus on the country's pro-Western direction, pro-Russia sentiments rooted in historical and cultural ties have divided society, particularly since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to the war but have remained evasive about possible Russian involvement in drone attacks in the Black Sea region.
Bulgaria's presidency is largely ceremonial, with major policy decisions requiring parliamentary approval. However, the president is directly elected and holds significant responsibilities, including leading the armed forces, vetoing legislation, signing international treaties and appointing ambassadors. Presidents serve five-year terms and may be elected for a maximum of two terms.
(With agency inputs from AP via PTI)