Runoff election: Iliana Jotowa remains President of Bulgaria
The candidate from the camp of Prime Minister Rumen Radew, who is considered to be pro-Russian, has won the run-off election for the Bulgarian presidency. Jotowa had taken over the highest state office from Radew in January.
Sofia, Bulgaria, finds itself in the midst of a crucial run-off election to determine its next president. The incumbent, Ilijana Jotowa, a former European Parliament member, and her challenger, Andrej Gjurow, former leader of the interim government, are locked in a tight contest. Jotowa, a 50-year-old economist, is backed by a reform-minded liberal-conservative opposition faction, while Gjurow, a 62-year-old, enjoys support from both the ruling center-left Progressive Bulgaria (PB) party and socialist (BSP) party members, including a former spokesperson.
The election's stakes are heightened by the ongoing war in Ukraine, just across Bulgaria's eastern border. Jotowa has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution to the conflict through negotiations with Russia, in contrast to the cautious approach of outgoing President Rumen Radev, who served as Jotowa's predecessor. With Jotowa's narrow 34.76% to 31.95% lead, the outcome will likely determine whether she continues Radev's measured policy or adopts a more assertive stance.
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- Election: Socialist incumbent wins runoff election in Bulgaria handelsblatt.com
