Bulgaria Votes for President as Ukraine War Divides Candidates

Voters in Bulgaria headed to polling stations on Sunday to elect a president, in a contest shaped by sharp disagreements over the war in Ukraine and how closely the country should align itself with Moscow.

The election comes against the backdrop of drone attacks on vessels in the Black Sea near Bulgaria's coastline, incidents that have made the conflict in Ukraine feel immediate for the former Soviet satellite state. Polls opened at 7 a.m. and were set to close at 8 p.m., with exit polls due once voting ends and official results expected within 48 hours.

Although the Bulgarian presidency is largely ceremonial, the office carries notable powers. The head of state serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, can veto legislation and is able to appoint interim governments during periods of political crisis.

The frontrunner is incumbent President Iliana Iotova, 62, who assumed the role this year after Rumen Radev, now prime minister, left the presidency to compete in parliamentary elections that brought him to power. Surveys place Iotova at between 41 and 47 percent of the vote. She supports dialogue with Moscow as the route to peace in Ukraine and opposes sending military aid to Kyiv. A victory for her would also strengthen Radev, who likewise favors talks with the Kremlin.

Her principal rival is Andrey Gyurov, 50, a former caretaker prime minister polling at 28 to 31 percent. Backed by the pro-Western opposition, Gyurov is a vocal critic of Radev's foreign policy and a strong supporter of Bulgaria's Euro-Atlantic orientation as a member of the European Union and NATO.

Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the pro-Russian far-right Vazrazhdane party, sits in third place with 10 to 13 percent. In total, 27 pairings of presidential and vice presidential candidates are contesting the first round, nearly half of them openly pro-Kremlin. Should no candidate secure an outright majority, a run-off is set for November 1, with Iotova and Gyurov widely viewed as the certain participants in any second round.

The war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia's unprovoked invasion, stands among the campaign's central themes, especially after four merchant ships were allegedly struck by drones off the Bulgarian coast this month in what is suspected to be spillover from the conflict. Satellite internet antennas belonging to the Starlink network, an important component of Ukraine's defense capabilities, were also set ablaze near the capital, Sofia.

Radev has said the attacks appeared to work to Russia's advantage and summoned the Russian ambassador, though his government has stopped short of directly blaming Moscow. The strikes have nevertheless heightened concerns that Russia may seek to escalate the conflict.

Beyond the war, candidates have addressed rising energy prices and inflation, which have brought economic hardship to many in the EU's poorest member state. Voters are also seeking an end to persistent government corruption and hoping for political stability after years of repeated elections and collapsed coalitions.