Acting President Iliana Yotova apparently won Bulgaria's presidential runoff
Acting President Iliana Yotova appears to have won Bulgaria’s presidential runoff, with several polling agencies’ initial counts giving her 58% of the vote. Former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov conceded defeat. Yotova opposes military aid to Ukraine and favors dialogue with Moscow; if official results confirm the win, she would become Bulgaria’s first elected female president.
More context
Acting President Iliana Yotova was the apparent winner of Bulgaria’s presidential runoff on Sunday, according to initial results. If confirmed by official results, she would become the country’s first elected female head of state. Several polling agencies put her share of the vote at about 58%. Former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, her challenger, acknowledged his defeat. Yotova rejects military assistance for Ukraine and supports dialogue with Moscow. Observers said they expected her victory to keep the presidency in the hands of the governing majority: Progressive Bulgaria, which backed her, won 131 of 240 parliamentary seats in April. Observers said that concentration of power could make it harder for institutions to maintain effective checks and balances. Official results had not yet confirmed the outcome.
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Reporting
- A News — Bulgaria’s Yotova on track to win presidential runoff in exit polls
- KTVN 2 News Nevada — Exit polls suggest that Yotova wins runoff to become Bulgaria’s first elected female president | World News | 2news.com
- Temple Daily Telegram — Initial results suggest Yotova wins runoff to become Bulgaria’s first elected female president | News | tdtnews.com
- Los Angeles Times — Yotova set to become Bulgaria’s first elected female president - Los Angeles Times
- Al Jazeera — Bulgaria’s acting President Iotova leads in run-off exit polls | Elections News | Al Jazeera
- Deutsche Welle — Bulgaria: Yotova secures decisive win in presidential runoff
Verifier’s note
Anews.com.tr and Al Jazeera report exit polls putting Yotova ahead, while AP reporting carried by tdtnews and KTVN, the Los Angeles Times, and DW report her apparent win in initial results. These reports are consistent with Yotova winning the runoff.