Beyza Binnur Donmez
25 September 2026•Update: 25 September 2026
Campaigning for Bulgaria’s presidential election began at midnight Friday, one month before voters head to the polls to choose their president.
A total of 27 presidential and vice-presidential tickets have been registered for the Oct. 25 election, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).
The main contenders, according to polls cited by Bulgarian National Radio, are incumbent President Iliana Iotova, backed by the left-wing Progressive Bulgaria party, and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, supported by liberal, pro-European opposition parties.
Other candidates include Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the far-right, anti-EU Revival party.
The campaign will run through Oct. 23, with campaigning prohibited during the 24 hours before election day.
Voting machines will be used at most polling stations, with exceptions including locations with fewer than 300 voters, mobile polling stations, medical facilities, elderly care homes and certain polling places abroad, BTA reported.
As of Wednesday morning, 18,430 Bulgarian citizens in 66 countries had applied to vote abroad.
Türkiye accounted for the largest number of applications, with more than 7,000, followed by the UK with nearly 3,000, Germany with around 1,500, the US with more than 1,300 and Spain with over 700.
Overseas voters have until Sept. 29 to submit their applications.
A runoff will be held Nov. 1 if the election is not decided in the first round.
