Divided Bulgaria votes in tense presidential runoff

Bulgaria's presidential runoff commenced on Sunday between two contrasting candidates, President Iliana Iotova and Andrey Gyurov. Iotova, who advocates dialogue with Russia and opposes military aid to Ukraine, garnered 35% of the vote in the initial round, trailing Gyurov by a mere 3 percentage points. Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister, is backed by the pro-Western opposition. Polling stations remained open until 9pm for those still waiting in line.

The first round, characterized by a record-low 23% turnout, saw the duo's contrasting visions on Ukraine's conflict come to the forefront. The attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, resulting in 21 missing persons, have been linked to Russia by critics, sparking tension between Iotova and Gyurov. While Iotova supports Bulgaria's EU and NATO membership, Gyurov vehemently opposes it, emphasizing the need for Russia to cease aggression.

Iotova, the first woman to be elected president in Bulgaria's 6.4 million population, has pledged to tackle poverty. If victorious, she would become the country's first female president. The runoff, marked by accusations of state resource misuse by Gyurov's campaign, promises to be a pivotal moment in Bulgaria's relationship with Moscow.