Bulgaria’s President Yotova leads 1st-round vote, heads to runoff

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Bulgaria’s incumbent President Iliana Yotova narrowly led the first round of the presidential election, with nearly all polling station results processed, according to preliminary figures released Monday.

Yotova and her vice-presidential running mate Kiril Valchev received 34.759% of the vote, ahead of former Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov and his running mate Georgi Kandev, who received 31.953%, the Central Election Commission reported.

The figures covered 99.95% of polling station protocols from Sunday’s election. Some 4.4% of voters selected the “I do not support any candidate” option.

The two leading tickets will compete in a runoff on Nov. 1 after neither secured more than half the vote. Turnout stood at approximately 22%, according to public broadcaster Bulgarian National Radio.

The election marked Bulgaria’s eighth presidential vote since 1992. Participation was highest in the capital Sofia and lowest in Kardzhali province, home to a large ethnic Turkish population.

The commission is expected to announce the final first-round results on Tuesday.

Necva Taştan Sevinç