Bulgarian president wins runoff vote as Black Sea attacks raise stakes
The country remains divided over its ties with Moscow, particularly after suspected spillover from the Russia-Ukraine war left 21 people missing in the Black Sea.
Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova secured a decisive victory in the presidential runoff, receiving between 57.4% and 58.2% of the vote. Iotova, who advocates dialogue with Moscow and opposes military aid to Ukraine, faced off against Andrey Gyurov, a pro-Western opposition candidate backed by banker-turned-politician Rumen Radev.
Iotova's campaign centered on issues of income, peace, and the challenges ahead. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated her on her win. The election took place amid heightened security concerns due to recent drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, which are believed to be linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Despite differing views on the attacks, both candidates called for stability and unity. Iotova, Bulgaria's first elected female president, will officially take office, becoming a role model for the nation of 6.4 million people.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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