In brief
Exit polls show Iliana Iotova and Kiril Valchev leading with 51.6% of the vote in Bulgaria’s November 1 presidential runoff. Progressive Bulgaria’s floor leader Petar Vitanov and MP Dimitar Zdravkov welcomed the high turnout, which they say is nearly 10% higher than the first round, and called the result predictable and legitimate.
Exit polls released after Bulgaria’s November 1 presidential runoff indicate that Iliana Iotova and Kiril Valchev are leading by a comfortable margin, with 51.6% of the vote compared to 43.4% for Andrey Gurov and Georgi Kandev, according to BTA. Five agencies—including Trend, Gallup, Alpha Research, Market Links, and Myara—reported votes that align closely with these figures.
Runoff Conclusion and PB MP Comments
Bulgaria’s Progressive Bulgaria (PB) floor leader Petar Vitanov praised voters for taking part in the runoff on Sunday, noting that turnout had risen by nearly one third, an increase he described as unprecedented. Vitanov cited a “negative campaign marked by compromising material that had discouraged many voters,” according to BTA.
"a negative campaign marked by compromising material that had discouraged many voters."
Vitanov said the Iotova‑Valchev ticket’s win was expected and that the runoff’s outcome should bring stability to Bulgaria. “Bulgaria will be more stable and calmer after Monday,” he added.
"Bulgaria will be more stable and calmer after Monday,"
MP Dimitar Zdravkov agreed that the result was predictable, explaining that the trend was logical and reflected public expectations. He added that he hoped the rival political alliance would field more worthwhile and better‑prepared candidates for the next presidential election.
"The trend we are seeing is logical and reflects public expectations,"
"I hope the rival political alliance would field more worthy and better‑prepared candidates in the next presidential election."
Both PB leaders emphasized that while the presidential vote had nothing to do with parliamentary elections, the high turnout—nearly 10% higher than the first round—highlights strong voter engagement in Bulgaria’s democratic process, BTA reported.
