Iliana Yotova has made history after winning Bulgaria’s presidential runoff election to become the country’s first woman elected to the office.
The 62-year-old acting president secured 57.58 percent of the vote, according to near-final results released by the Central Election Commission on Monday.
Her ticket defeated the opposition pairing led by former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, who secured 39.47 percent.
Yotova had been serving as acting president since January 2026, following the resignation of former President Rumen Radev, who stepped down to enter parliamentary politics.
Before assuming the presidency, Yotova served as vice president under Radev following their election wins in 2016 and 2021. She also served as a member of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2017 and worked as a journalist earlier in her career.
Her victory marks a historic milestone for Bulgaria, which has never before elected a woman to the presidency.
