Bulgarians went to the polls on Sunday for a presidential runoff election amid growing regional security concerns and mounting economic pressures at home.
Acting President Iliana Yotova, who could become the country's first elected female president, is facing opposition candidate Andrey Gyurov, a former interim prime minister and economist.
Yotova secured a narrow lead of 2.8 percentage points over Gyurov in the first round on October 25. However, voter turnout was just 23%, the lowest on record, according to election officials.
Polling stations opened at 7 am in another deeply polarised contest, with both candidates seeking support for their contrasting political positions. Exit poll results were expected after voting ended at 8 pm, while official results were scheduled to be announced on Monday.
The election is taking place amid growing economic difficulties and increased drone attacks targeting commercial shipping in the Black Sea, leaving several sailors dead or missing.
Yotova is contesting the election as an independent candidate. She assumed the role of acting president earlier this year after former President Rumen Radev resigned to lead his political party to victory in the general election.
The runoff represents the first major electoral test for Prime Minister Radev's Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which has endorsed Yotova.
If elected, Yotova is expected to maintain Bulgaria's European orientation while pursuing improved relations with Russia and advocating the removal of sanctions against Moscow.
Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine but have avoided directly addressing possible Russian involvement in the recent drone attacks in the Black Sea region.
During a televised debate this week, Yotova argued that ending the conflict would require negotiations involving both Ukraine and Russia.
"Peace could come only through negotiations," she said, proposing a security meeting involving all six Black Sea countries to establish a moratorium on hostilities.
Political observers believe a victory for Yotova would keep the presidency under the influence of the ruling political majority, potentially weakening institutional checks and balances on government decisions.
Her challenger, Gyurov, is backed by the pro-Western reformist opposition. An economist and former deputy governor of Bulgaria's central bank, he served as caretaker prime minister in early 2026.
During his tenure, Gyurov signed a security cooperation agreement with Ukraine and repeatedly expressed strong support for Kyiv.
He has pledged to make Bulgaria a dependable NATO ally that can defend its national interests through effective diplomacy and a firm foreign policy.
Gyurov has also criticised the government for its reluctance to identify Russia as the aggressor in the war against Ukraine. He called for Bulgaria to clearly recognise security threats and participate in European Union decision-making from the beginning.
"When you have no position and are not at the table, you are in fact on the menu," he said.