2026 Bulgarian presidential election

2026 Bulgarian presidential election
by November 2026
Incumbent President

Iliana Iotova
BSP



The 2026 Bulgarian presidential elections are currently scheduled to be held in November 2026. Incumbent president Iliana Iotova is eligible to run for a full term.

Electoral system

The president of Bulgaria is elected through a two-round system; if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round or a candidate receives a majority of the vote but voter turnout is below 50%, a second round run-off is held between the top two candidates.[1] No candidate has ever won in the first round. Since 2016 a none of the above option is also present on the ballot.[2] In order to stand as a candidate a person must be a Bulgarian citizen holding no other nationality, be at least 40 years of age by election day and have resided in the country for the previous five years.[3]

Background

Former presidents Georgi Parvanov and Rumen Radev, are ineligible to be elected to a third term, as Constitution prohibits any person from being elected president more than twice. PP-DB are expected to hold a primary election to select their presidential candidate, similar to the one held in 1996.[4]

Candidates

Party-backed potential candidates

The following parties or coalitions have announced their support for a candidate:

Potential candidates

The following notable individuals have been suggested as potential candidates by influential members of their respective parties or coalitions:

PP-DB

GERB-SDS

Declined to be candidates

The following notable individuals have been the subject of speculation about their possible candidacy, but have publicly denied interest in running:

GERB-SDS

PP-DB

Former presidents

References

  1. ^ "Bulgaria". IFES Election Guide.
  2. ^ "Bulgaria's 2016 presidential elections: Voters to have 'I don't support anyone' option". Sofia Globe. 9 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Constitution". Parliament of Bulgaria.
  4. ^ "ДСБ искат предварителни избори да посочат кандидат-президента на демократите" (in Bulgarian).
  5. ^ ""BSP will support the candidacy of Iliana Iotova for President"". trud (in Bulgarian).
  6. ^ ""Atanas Atanasov: Denkov can be PP's candidate in the internal presidential primary for the right forces"". 24 Chasa (in Bulgarian).
  7. ^ "Денков: Благомир Коцев и Васил Терзиев са подходящи за кандидат-президент". 24 Chasa (in Bulgarian).
  8. ^ ""If I wanted to become president I would have": Borisov announced he won't run for president"". dnevnik (in Bulgarian).
  9. ^ "Васил Терзиев се надява да приемем еврото от 2026, не са го канили за президент" (in Bulgarian).
  10. ^ ""Plevneliev: The decisions in GERB are taken at the last minute by Borisov personally"". mediapool.bg (in Bulgarian).
  11. ^ "Петър Стоянов: Мина ми времето за президент, не ми се влиза в това кално блато - Новини от Dnes.bg". Dnes.bg (in Bulgarian).
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