About this election
Bulgaria is scheduled to hold a presidential election in the autumn of 2026, with the first round expected in early November, to choose a successor to President Rumen Radev, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. The vote comes after years of extraordinary political instability, during which Bulgaria has held a long series of snap parliamentary elections amid repeated failures to form durable governments. In that context the presidency — though largely ceremonial — has taken on outsized importance, because the head of state appoints caretaker governments when parliament cannot, a power Radev used repeatedly.
The President of Bulgaria is elected directly for a five-year term and may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. Candidates run on a joint ticket with a vice-presidential running mate. The system is two-round: a candidate is elected in the first round only by winning more than half of the votes cast with a turnout of at least 50%; otherwise the two leading candidates proceed to a run-off the following Sunday, where a simple majority wins. A "none of the above" option has been on the ballot since 2016. While the president's domestic powers are limited — Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic in which the prime minister leads the government — the office carries moral authority, a veto that parliament can override, and the pivotal role of naming caretaker cabinets and scheduling elections.
Bulgarian politics has been fragmented and volatile. The centre-right GERB, led by long-serving former prime minister Boyko Borisov, remains the largest party but has struggled to govern without controversy; the reformist, anti-corruption bloc We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria (PP–DB) emerged as its main challenger; the nationalist, pro-Russian Vazrazhdane (Revival) has grown rapidly; and the movement representing the Turkish minority, historically the DPS, has split into rival factions. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is a diminished but persistent force. President Radev, originally backed by the Socialists, governed above the party fray and clashed repeatedly with Borisov; his vice-president, Iliana Iotova, is among the figures mentioned as potential candidates to succeed him.
Rumen Radev won a second term comfortably in November 2021, defeating the GERB-backed academic Anastas Gerdzhikov.
| Candidate (2021) | 1st round | Run-off |
| Rumen Radev (independent) | 49.42% | 66.72% |
| Anastas Gerdzhikov (GERB-backed) | 22.83% | 31.80% |
Radev ran with Iliana Iotova as his vice-presidential candidate. Turnout was low, a recurring feature of Bulgarian elections during the instability of recent years.
The open question is who replaces Radev, and whether the presidency continues as a counterweight to the parties or aligns more closely with one bloc. With GERB, PP–DB and Vazrazhdane all likely to field or back candidates, the race tests the relative strength of the establishment right, the reformist centre and the nationalist insurgency. Bulgaria's path on the euro (it is moving toward eurozone membership), its stance on Russia and Ukraine, corruption and the rule of law, and the durability of any government in Sofia all hang over the contest.
Bulgarian presidential races tend to follow familiar lines: GERB and the right poll strongly in many provincial towns and among diaspora voters, the Socialists retain pockets of older, rural support, parties of the Turkish minority dominate the south-east and north-east, and the reformist bloc is strongest in Sofia and larger cities. ElectioMap will map the result across Bulgaria's 28 provinces as official figures are released.
This page will show the live first-round result and, if needed, the run-off, with a provincial map, as counting proceeds. Figures are sourced from Bulgaria's Central Election Commission (CIK), the body that administers and certifies the vote.
It is due in the autumn of 2026, with the first round expected in early November. A run-off follows the next Sunday if no candidate wins more than half the vote. The president serves a five-year term.
Incumbent Rumen Radev is barred from a third consecutive term, so a successor must be chosen. The presidency has been pivotal during Bulgaria's recent instability because the head of state appoints caretaker governments when parliament cannot form one.
Directly, on a joint ticket with a vice-presidential running mate, by a two-round majority system. To win in the first round a candidate needs over half the votes with turnout of at least 50%; otherwise the top two contest a run-off.
Rumen Radev won a second term comfortably, taking 49.42% in the first round and 66.72% in the run-off against the GERB-backed Anastas Gerdzhikov (31.80%). His running mate was Iliana Iotova.
Bulgaria's Central Election Commission reports preliminary results on election night. Live first-round figures and, if needed, the run-off, with a provincial map, will appear on this page as counting begins.
Compiled and reviewed by Bartłomiej Paruzel, Election Data Analyst, from official results. See our data methodology.