Bulgaria will head to a runoff vote on November 1 after a tight race between the two leading presidential candidates failed to produce an outright winner in Sunday's (October 25) elections, which garnered record-low participation.

Sunday's vote took on added significance after a series of drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast that likely killed some two dozen international seafarers. However, only about 22% of the eligible voters showed up to cast their ballot, according to polling agencies.

Both leading presidential candidates condemned the strikes, but they differ over the broader war. Iliana Iotova, formerly vice president, became acting president in January after Prime Minister Rumen Radev resigned to enter the parliamentary race, which he won on what many political analysts considered a Kremlin-friendly ticket. Radev supports Iotova and they have both called for a diplomatic end to the war.

Official results showed that with 95% of the votes counted, incumbent Iotova, 61, attracted 34.6% against 32% for ex-caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov, 50, falling short of the 50% threshold for the largely ceremonial role in a race of 27 candidates.

A victory for Iotova would make her Bulgaria's first elected female president. "Our message of peace must be heard. That is what we will be working to do over the coming week. We will speak even more firmly to our voters and to all Bulgarian citizens," Iotova said after polls closed at 8 p.m.

Gyurov, who served as caretaker prime minister this year, is supported by pro-Western, reformist parties and has long expressed support for Ukraine. He signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his time as premier.

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Bulgaria heads to presidential run-off after a close vote

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, INCUMBENT PRESIDENT ILIANA IOTOVA AND ANDREY GYUROV COMMENT ON RESULT OF VOTE, BOTH FAILED TO SECURE AN OUTRIGHT WIN, MEANING THERE WILL BE A RUN-OFF NOVEMBER 1 / CANDIDATES VOTING IN ELECTION / GENERAL VOTING

SHOWS: SOFIA, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 25, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. INCUMBENT PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ILIANA IOTOVA, ARRIVING TO SPEAK TO PRESS

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) INCUMBENT PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ILIANA IOTOVA, SAYING:

"There is a war raging in Europe. I have consistently said that I am and I would be a Bulgarian president who stands for peace, because without peace there can be no security and no prosperity."

3. IOTOVA SPEAKING TO PRESS

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) INCUMBENT PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ILIANA IOTOVA, SAYING:

"Our message of peace must be heard. That is what we will be working to do over the coming week. We will speak even more firmly to our voters and to all Bulgarian citizens, because I believe that Bulgaria has a strong position and a sovereign foreign policy, of course, in cooperation with our partners. This is very important because, as president of all Bulgarians, I do not want to see foreign flags flying in our squares and streets. I want to see Bulgarian flags."

SOFIA, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 25, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

5. VARIOUS OF IOTOVA ARRIVING AND VOTING AT POLLING STATION

SOFIA, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 25, 2026) (NOVA TV - No use Bulgaria)

6. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ANDREY GYUROV ARRIVING TO SPEAK TO PRESS

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ANDREY GYUROV, SAYING:

“This is no time for patting ourselves on the back. There is a lot of work ahead. Next week, Bulgaria will once again have to choose between two individuals, two directions, and two different approaches to exercising presidential powers.”

BLAGOEVGRAD, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 25, 2026) (GYUROV-KANDEV PRESS OFFICE - Access all)

8. VARIOUS OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ANDREY GYUROV ARRIVING TO VOTE

9. VARIOUS OF GYUROV VOTING

10. GYUROV ARRIVING TO SPEAK TO MEDIA

11. GYUROV POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH HIS FAMILY

SOFIA, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 25, 2026) (NOVA TV - No use Bulgaria)

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ANDREY GYUROV, SAYING:

“I would like to call on Ms Iotova to join me in addressing Bulgarian citizens in an open, honest and civilised debate. We should set out our positions and explain our views on how we intend to exercise the powers of the presidency.”

SOFIA, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 25, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

13. VARIOUS OF WOMAN CARRYING HER DOG WHILE VOTING

14. MAN VOTING

15. WOMAN HOLDING HER DAUGHTER WHILE VOTING

16. PEOPLE LOOKING AT EXAMPLE BALLOT IN FRONT OF POLLING STATION