World

Iliana Yotova become Bulgaria’s first elected female president

By Linda Ikeji 2 November 2026, 12:01 pm 0 comments

Iliana Yotova has made history after winning Bulgaria’s presidential runoff election to become the country’s first woman elected to the highest political office.

The 62-year-old acting president secured 57.58 per cent of the votes, according to near-final results released by the Central Election Commission on Monday, November 2, with 99.95 per cent of polling station protocols processed.

Her ticket with running mate Kiril Valchev defeated the opposition pairing of former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev, who secured 39.47 per cent of the votes.

Yotova had already been serving as Bulgaria’s president since January 2026, following the resignation of former President Rumen Radev, who stepped down to pursue a parliamentary career.

She previously served as vice-president under Radev for two consecutive terms after their elections in 2016 and 2021.

Before becoming president, Yotova served as a member of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2017 and was elected vice-president alongside Radev in 2016. The pair were re-elected in 2021. She previously worked as a journalist at Bulgarian National Television.

Her victory marks a historic milestone for Bulgaria, which has never before elected a woman to its presidency.