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2026 Bulgarian presidential election

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Presidential elections are currently being held in Bulgaria on 25 October 2026.[1] Incumbent president Iliana Iotova is eligible and has declared her intention to run for a full term.

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2026 Bulgarian presidential election
← 2021
25 October 2026
2031 →
 
Nominee Iliana Iotova Andrey Gyurov
Party Independent[a] Independent[b]
Running mate Kiril Valchev Georgi Kandev
Incumbent President

Iliana Iotova
BSP


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Electoral system

The president of Bulgaria is elected through a two-round system; if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round or a candidate receives a majority of the vote but voter turnout is below 50%, a second round run-off is held between the top two candidates.[2] No candidate has ever won in the first round. Since 2016, a none of the above option is also present on the ballot.[3] In order to stand as a candidate, a person must be a Bulgarian citizen holding no other nationality, be at least 40 years of age by election day and have resided in the country for the previous five years.[4]

Background

Former presidents Georgi Parvanov and Rumen Radev (now Prime Minister) are ineligible to be elected to a third term, as the Bulgarian Constitution prohibits any person from being elected as president more than twice.

Candidates

Registered candidates

Ten parties and 27 initiative committees submitted documents to participate in the elections for President and Vice President of the Republic on October 25, 2026. One party was denied registration, while another withdrew its registration. Three initiative committees were also denied registration. Consequently, a total of 32 participants remained registered: 8 parties and 25 initiative committees.[5] Of these, one party and three initiative committees did not nominate candidate pairs and one initiative committee was canceled by CEC; ultimately, 27 candidate pairs remained registered and participated in the draw to determine their ballot numbers on the unified ballot. A complete list of independent candidates and parties registered to contest in the election is presented below:[6]

More information Ballot number, Candidate ...
Ballot number Candidate Experience Running mate Party
1 Georgi Dimov Dimitar Shivikov Independent
2 Rosen Milenov Ivan Ivanov Independent
3 Ivanka Tsvetanova-Petkova Panayot Kyuchukov Independent
4
Andrey Gyurov Caretaker Prime Minister (2026), vice-governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (2023–2026), MP (2021–2023)[7] Georgi Kandev Independent[b]
5 Yordan Maldzhanski Valentin Hristov Independent
6 Kamen Taskov Galya Ivanova Independent
7 Nako Stefanov Nina Lambova Independent
8 Metodi Bachvarov Lenin Stanoev Independent
9
Ivaylo Simeonov Mayor of Elin Pelin Municipality (2015-present) Kosyo Stoychev Independent
10 Mariya Koleva Valeri Velkovski Pravoto [bg]
11
Kostadin Kostadinov MP (2021-present) Petar Volgin Revival
12
Aleksandar Tomov Deputy Prime Minister (1990 – 1991), MP (1990-1994, 1997-2001) Aleksandar Garibov BSDE
13 Boris Anzov Branimir Michev Independent
14 Rumyana Chenalova Georgi Georgiev Independent
15 Lachezar Avramov Ivaylo Atanasov Independent
16 Ivo Lulchev Stefan Popov Independent
17
Radostin Vasilev Minister of Youth and Sport (2021-2022), MP (2021, 2022-2024, 2024-2026) Krasimir Manov MECh
18
Ivan Hristanov MP (2021-2023) Stoyanka Cherkezova Independent[c]
19
Ivelin Mihaylov MP (2025) Yuliana Mateeva Velichie
20 Velichka Georgieva Rosen Ivanov Independent
21
Volen Siderov MP (2005–2019) Slavcho Velkov Independent[d]
22
Nikolay Nenchev MP (2014), Minister of Defence (2014-2017) Tsveta Kirilova BZNS
23 Iskra Nedeva Stoyan Georgiev Independent
24
Plamen Paskov Svetozar Saev Independent
25
Iliana Iotova President of Bulgaria (2026–present), Vice President (2017–2026), MEP (2007–2017), MP (2005–2007) Kiril Valchev Independent[a]
26
Boyan Rasate Yordan Manasiev Independent[e]
27 Ventsislav Angelov Atanas Stefanov Truth and Only Truth [bg]
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Declined to be candidates

The following notable individuals have publicly denied interest in running:

GERB–SDS

Former presidents

Others

Rejected or withdrawn registrations from Central Electoral Commission

  • Bulgarian Socialist Party - discontinued registration proceedings [17]
  • Glas Naroden (Voice of the People) - rejected registration [18]
  • Initiative Committee for Velin Meledzhiev and Iliana Meledzhieva - rejected registration [19]
  • Initiative Committee for Dimitar Nikolov and Angel Vasilev - rejected registration [20]
  • Initiative Committee for Rumyana Petrova and Maya Petkova - rejected registration [21]
  • Initiative Committee for Yavor Genov and Maksim Velkov - canceled registration [22]

Registered participants who have not nominated a candidate pair

The following participants register with the CEC to take part in the presidential and vice-presidential elections but do not nominate a candidate pair by the deadline of September 22, 2026.

  • DPS[23]
  • Initiative Committee for Miroslav Paskalev and Katya Nikolova[24]
  • Initiative Committee for Yordanka Koleva and Veselin Radkov[25]
  • Initiative Committee for Galen Todorov and Maria Paskova[26]

Opinion polls

The opinion poll results were recalculated from the original data by excluding undecided and non-voters.

First round

More information Polling firm, Fieldwork date ...
Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
Others NOTA Lead
Iotova
Ind.[a]		 Gyurov
Ind.[b]		 Kostadinov
Revival		 Vasilev
MECh		 Mihaylov
Velichie		 Hristanov
Ind.[c]
Gallup 14 – 22 Oct 2026 1,001 44.2 30.4 12.7 2.6 1.3 3.5 4.9[f] 0.4 13.8
Alpha Research 18 – 22 Oct 2026 1,000 41.1 28.3 12.8 3.9 3.4 3.6 4.3 2.6 12.8
Trend 14 – 20 Oct 2026 1,002 45.9 27.8 10.9 3.2 2.2 2.4 4.5 3.1 18.1
Myara 8 – 19 Oct 2026 1,009 43.4 28.9 10.2 2.9 3.1 1.9 7.1 2.5 14.5
Market Links 13 – 19 Oct 2026 1,006 47.3 30.6 10.3 2.8 4.3 2.3 2.5 — 16.7
Sova Harris 13 – 17 Oct 2026 1,000 49.2 24.8 9.5 3.1 2.6 1.9 8.9 — 24.4
Gallup 26 Sept – 6 Oct 2026 987 47.8 26.4 11.6 2.8 1.7 4.4 4.9[g] 0.4 21.4
Myara 26 Sept – 4 Oct 2026 1,000 46.9 25.3 8.8 2.2 4.2 2.7 7.6 2.3 21.6
Trend 26 Sept – 2 Oct 2026 1,003 47.8 24.6 9.7 4.6 2.4 1.9 4.4 4.6 23.2
Alpha Research 24 Sept – 1 Oct 2026 1,000 44.5 26.1 10.5 2.5 2.2 3.4 7.9[h] 2.9 18.4
Market Links 26 – 29 Sept 2026 1,006 51.6 27.5 8.0 2.0 4.9 1.1 4.6 — 24.1
Sova Harris 23 – 28 Sept 2026 1,000 50.2 23.7 12.7 — — — 13.4 — 26.5
Global Metrics[i] 23 Jun – 11 Jul 2026 1,503 39.7 4.8 13.3 5.5 2.2 — 4.4 30.0[j] — 26.4
2026 Parliamentary election 19 Apr 2026 N/a 43.9 3.0 12.4 4.2 3.2 3.1 0.6 31.8 1.5 30.7
2021 Presidential election 14 Nov 2021 N/a 49.4 3.7 3.9 — — — 40.8 2.3 26.6
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Hypothetical second round

Iliana Iotova vs. Andrey Gyurov

More information Polling firm, Fieldwork date ...
Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
Lead
Iotova
Ind.[a]		 Gyurov
Ind.[b]
Sova Harris 13 – 17 Oct 2026 1,000 65.8 34.2 31.6
2021 Presidential election 21 Nov 2021 N/a 66.7 N/a 63.0
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Iliana Iotova vs. Kostadin Kostadinov

More information Polling firm, Fieldwork date ...
Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
Lead
Iotova
Ind.[a]		 Kostadinov
Revival
Sova Harris 13 – 17 Oct 2026 1,000 72.7 27.3 45.4
2021 Presidential election 21 Nov 2021 N/a 66.7 N/a 62.8
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Results

More information Candidate, Running mate ...
CandidateRunning matePartyVotes%
Iliana IotovaKiril ValchevIndependent (PB, BSP, ISBG, IMRO–BND)
Andrey GyurovGeorgi KandevIndependent (PP–DB)
Kostadin KostadinovPetar VolginRevival
Radostin VasilevKrasimir ManovMorality, Unity, Honour
Ivan HristanovStoyanka CherkezovaIndependent
Ivelin MihaylovYuliana MateevaVelichie
Ivaylo SimeonovKosyo StoychevIndependent
Nikolay NenchevTsveta KirilovaBulgarian Agrarian National Union
Aleksandar TomovAleksandar GaribovBulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft
Volen SiderovSlavcho VelkovIndependent (Attack)
Plamen PaskovSvetozar SaevIndependent
Boyan RasateYordan ManasievIndependent (BNS-ND)
Georgi DimovDimitar ShivikovIndependent
Rosen MilenovIvan IvanovIndependent
Ivanka Tsvetanova-PetkovaPanayot KyuchukovIndependent
Yordan MaldzhanskiValentin HristovIndependent
Kamen TaskovGalya IvanovaIndependent
Nako StefanovNina LambovaIndependent
Metodi BachvarovLenin StanoevIndependent
Maria KolevaValeri VelkovskiPravoto
Boris AnzovBranimir MichevIndependent
Rumyana ChenalovaGeorgi GeorgievIndependent
Lachezar AvramovIvaylo AtanasovIndependent
Ivo LulchevStefan PopovIndependent
Velichka GeorgievaRosen IvanovIndependent
Iskra NedevaStoyan GeorgievIndependent
Ventsislav AngelovAtanas StefanovTruth and Only Truth [bg]
None of the above
Total
Registered voters/turnout6,590,000–
Source: Electoral Commission of Bulgaria
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Notes

  1. [a]
    Yotova is a member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, but her membership is "frozen" while she holds higher office.[9] She is running as an independent and her candidacy is supported by Progressive Bulgaria,[10] BSP–OL,[11] ISBG,[12] and VMRO-BND[13]
  2. [b]
    Supported by PP–DB[8]
  3. [c]
    Supported by Edinenie
  4. [d]
    Supported by Attack
  5. [e]
    Supported by BNS-ND
  6. [f]
    Ivaylo Simeonov - 1.9%, Nikolay Nenchev - 1.6%, Others - 1.4%
  7. [g]
    Nikolay Nenchev - 2.2%, Ivaylo Simeonov - 1.8%, Others - 0.9%
  8. [h]
    Nikolay Nenchev - 1.8%, Ivaylo Simeonov - 1.6%, Georgi Dimov - 0.9%, Others - 3.6%
  9. [i]
    Generic candidates
  10. [j]
    GERB - 11.5%, DPS - 3.6%, Others - 14.9%

References

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