Bulgaria presidential race centers on EU and Ukraine stances

Bulgaria’s upcoming presidential election on October 25 has become a geopolitical contest between two leading candidates with opposing views on the country’s international alignment.

Iliana Iotova, supported by Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria party, has advocated for a neutral stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Iotova stated that Bulgaria should not join the France- and Britain-led military presence coalition in Ukraine, emphasizing that the war has already impacted the Black Sea region through drone incidents.

In contrast, former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov is campaigning on a pro-European platform. Backed by the liberal We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria parties, Gyurov pledged to safeguard Bulgaria’s integration into the European Union and prevent foreign or oligarchic interests from undermining decades of European alignment.

The race follows a period of significant political instability in Bulgaria, marked by multiple snap parliamentary elections. Notably, the center-right GERB party has decided not to field a candidate for the first time since its founding, a move intended to avoid splitting the pro-European vote.