---
title: "Bulgaria elects its president amid the Ukraine war and Black Sea drone attacks"
url: https://moldova1.md/p/88542/bulgaria-elects-its-president-amid-the-ukraine-war-and-black-sea-drone-attacks
published: 2026-10-25T12:34:50Z
language: en
author: "Bogdan Nigai"
section: "International"
source: moldova1.md
---

# Bulgaria elects its president amid the Ukraine war and Black Sea drone attacks

> Bulgarian citizens head to the polls on Sunday, October 25, to elect their president. The vote comes six months after the parliamentary elections won by Prime Minister Rumen Radev's party and is seen as an early electoral test for the current administration. Although 27 candidates are in the race, the main frontrunners are the incumbent, Iliana Iotova, and former interim Prime Minister Andrei Ghiurov. The campaign has been marked by debates concerning the war in Ukraine and security in the Black Sea, following a series of drone attacks on commercial vessels.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/c01e79c3-b3ed-4844-b356-1a700a2232c2.jpg)

Bulgarian citizens head to the polls on Sunday, October 25, to elect their president. The vote comes six months after the parliamentary elections won by Prime Minister Rumen Radev's party and is seen as an early electoral test for the current administration. Although 27 candidates are in the race, the main frontrunners are the incumbent, Iliana Iotova, and former interim Prime Minister Andrei Ghiurov. The campaign has been marked by debates concerning the war in Ukraine and security in the Black Sea, following a series of drone attacks on commercial vessels.

Polling stations opened at 7:00 AM and will remain open until 8:00 PM. If no candidate wins in the first round, a runoff will take place on November 1, Deutsche Welle reports.

**Two frontrunners and a contest for the balance of power**

Iliana Iotova, who served two terms as vice president under Rumen Radev, has the backing of the current prime minister. Her main challenger, Andrei Ghiurov—who led the interim government from February to May 2026—is supported by opposition parties.

The election carries significant political stakes, given that the "Progressive Bulgaria" party, led by Radev, secured a majority in the April parliamentary elections—a result unprecedented in nearly three decades.

Although the Bulgarian president's powers are limited compared to the government's, the head of state can veto legislation passed by Parliament, plays a role in appointing high-ranking officials, and serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

While the election debates were initially dominated by personal attacks between the candidates, national security and foreign policy have emerged as central themes in recent weeks.

This shift followed several drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, including some near the Bulgarian coast. These incidents have raised concerns about navigation safety and pressured authorities in Sofia to take a clearer stance. 

**Polls point to Iliana Iotova as the favorite**

According to the latest poll conducted by Alpha Research, the incumbent remains the favorite, with a lead of approximately 12 percentage points over Andrei Ghiurov. However, the gap has narrowed in recent weeks.

Sociologists believe this trend is partly linked to some voters' dissatisfaction with the authorities' response to incidents in the Black Sea.