Iotova wins Bulgaria’s presidential runoff with 57.58% votes.
She becomes the country’s first elected female president.
Her campaign backed dialogue with Moscow over Ukraine.
Bulgaria's acting President Iliana Iotova has won the presidential runoff, making history as the country's first woman elected to the top office, according to near-final results released by the Central Election Commission on Monday.
Iotova secured 57.58% of the vote, taking around 1.1 million ballots, according to results from 99.95% of precincts, according to Reuters. Their opponents, Andrey Gyurov, received 39.47%, or nearly 749,500 votes. The remaining 2.95% of voters chose the “I support no one” option.
The runoff came after the October 25 first round failed to produce an outright winner. Iotova and Valchev topped the initial vote with 34.6%, narrowly ahead of Gyurov and Kandev, who secured 32%. The two candidates then advanced to Sunday's second round.
While the Bulgarian president's role is largely ceremonial, the office carries several important powers. The president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, can appoint caretaker governments during political crises, and has the authority to veto legislation. The president is also elected directly by voters, giving the position a stronger political mandate.
At 62, Iotova is an ally of incumbent Prime Minister Rumen Radev. She took over as interim president in January after Radev resigned to contest parliamentary elections. She then entered the presidential race to secure an elected mandate of her own.
Iotova Favours Dialogue With Moscow
The war in Ukraine emerged as a major issue in the election, as security concerns grew in the Black Sea, which borders Bulgaria. The region has seen an increase in drone attacks on commercial vessels, adding to voters' concerns.
Iotova campaigned as a "president of peace" and called for dialogue with Moscow. During a televised debate ahead of the runoff, Gyurov accused her of refusing to directly blame Russia for the attacks in the Black Sea, according to DW.
"Russia must stop its aggression so that the next steps can be taken. Let us name the country from which the threats are coming," he said.
Iotova responded that "peace can come only through negotiations." She also argued that continued military aid to Ukraine "leads only to more destruction and the deaths of many people on both sides."
Iotova is expected to follow a course similar to Prime Minister Rumen Radev, maintaining Bulgaria’s ties with Europe while pushing for stronger relations with Russia and an end to sanctions.
