In Bulgaria, a presidential campaign in the shadow of the war between Russia and Ukraine

Bulgarians will vote on October 25 for the presidential election, marking the tenth election since 2021. Iliana Iotova, the current vice-president and former journalist, is the frontrunner with 40-47% of the vote. She is supported by the Socialist Party and the party of former president Roumen Radev, who is now prime minister. Andreï Giourov, an independent economist, follows with around 30%, backed by pro-European parties. Kostadin Kostadinov, a nationalist candidate, has 10-12%. If elected, Iotova would be the first female president of Bulgaria, a member of the EU and NATO.