Bulgaria elects ally of PM Radev as first female president
SOFIA, Nov 2 (Reuters) – Bulgaria has elected Iliana Iotova as its first female president, official results showed on Monday, providing a political boost for Prime Minister Rumen Radev who had backed her for the largely ceremonial role. Iotova, 61, won 57.6% of the votes cast in Sunday’s run-off contest, while her rival, former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov, 50, won 39.5%. The presidential vote comes against the backdrop of a series of drone attacks in the past month on merchant ships off the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, a NATO and European Union member state. The attacks have killed at least 24 seafarers, sparked international condemnation and stoked concerns about the growing reach of the war in Ukraine.
Both Iotova and Gyurov have condemned the attacks. Radev said the strikes’ outcome “benefits the Russian Federation”. Iotova, a former member of the European Parliament, became Bulgaria’s acting president in January after Radev resigned to enter — and win — a parliamentary race on what many political analysts considered a Kremlin-friendly ticket. Both he and Iotova have called for a diplomatic end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Gyurov, who served as caretaker prime minister this year, secured the support of pro-Western, reformist parties during his presidential campaign and he has long expressed support for Ukraine. He signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his time as premier.
Yotova Becomes Bulgaria’s First Female President
The Constitutional Court of Bulgaria has formally accepted President Rumen Radev’s resignation, paving the way for Vice President Iliana Yotova to assume the presidency. Pavlina Panova, president of the Constitutional Court, served as rapporteur on the case. With the court’s unanimous decision, effective January 23, 2026, Yotova becomes Bulgaria’s first female head of state. Twelve constitutional judges participated in the session, which confirmed that Radev’s resignation was made voluntarily and without external pressure. As this is not an impeachment case, no additional hearings or investigations were required.
Following the court ruling, Radev’s presidential powers are officially transferred to Yotova. She will not need to retake the oath before the National Assembly, having already sworn in as vice president in 2021. Later today, at 4 p.m., Radev will leave the presidential building through the ceremonial entrance, accompanied by Yotova, marking the conclusion of his nine-year tenure. Social media initiatives have already begun commemorating his departure. Expectations are high that Radev will soon announce his own political project ahead of the upcoming early elections.
Rumen Radev, a Major General in the Air Force and former Commander of the Air Force, was first elected president in November 2016. He took office on January 22, 2017, alongside Iliana Yotova as vice president. The pair were re-elected in November 2021 for a second term. Notably, Radev is the first president in Bulgaria’s democratic history to resign before completing a term, leaving Yotova to finish their second term alone.
