Bulgaria's incumbent president Iotova wins runoff vote
Bulgaria's President Iliana Iotova, who favours dialogue with Moscow and opposes military aid to Ukraine, has won a presidential runoff vote.
Bulgaria's incumbent President Iliana Iotova has secured victory in a presidential runoff election, gaining between 57.4 percent and 58.2 percent of the vote. Her opponent, Andrey Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister, received between 38.6 percent and 39.6 percent. Iotova, an ally of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, campaigned on issues of income, peace, and future challenges.
She declared victory, emphasizing her focus on a stronger Bulgaria in a strong Europe and her commitment to dialogue with Moscow. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Iotova, echoing her message. The election took place amid security concerns, including drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea off Bulgaria in October, resulting in 21 missing persons.
The attacks, believed to be linked to the Russia-Ukraine war, have raised tensions between Bulgaria and Russia. The vote marks Iotova as the first elected woman president of Bulgaria, a country of 6.4 million people.
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