{
  "id": 16712097,
  "title": "Bulgaria Politics Explained, Who Holds Power in 2026",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/bulgaria-politics-explained-who-holds-power-in-2026",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-27T05:39:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Rio Times",
    "slug": "the-rio-times",
    "url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/bulgaria-politics-explained-who-holds-power-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bulgaria's politics are explained by Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who leads the government with an absolute majority in parliament. The upcoming presidential runoff on Sunday, November 1, is a key event, as it will determine who will be the country's next leader. Bulgaria is a NATO member with strategic significance due to recent drone attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea. Iliana Iotova, the current president, won the runoff with 34.76% of the vote, while Andrey Gyurov received 31.95%. The runoff is seen as a verdict on Prime Minister Radev's first six months in office. Bulgaria operates as a parliamentary republic, with the prime minister heading the government and the president serving as head of state with mostly ceremonial duties. The National Assembly, consisting of 240 seats, plays a crucial role in the legislative process. The upcoming presidential election has significant implications for Bulgaria's security, economic policies, and its Euro-Atlantic ties.",
  "summary": "Bulgaria's runoff on 1 November pits Iliana Iotova against Andrey Gyurov after a first round with only about 23% turnout, with Black Sea security in play. The post Bulgaria Politics Explained, Who Holds Power in 2026 appeared first on The Rio Times .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}