Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Bulgaria on 25 October 2026.Borisov, Viktor. Президентските избори ще се проведат на 25 октомври // bntnews.bg, 29 July 2026. Retrieved on 29 July 2026. Incumbent president Iliana Iotova is eligible and has declared her intention 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. No candidate has ever won in the first round. Since 2016, a none of the above option is also present on the ballot. 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.
Background Former presidents Georgi Parvanov and Rumen Radev (now Prime Minister) are ineligible to be elected to a third term, as the Bulgarian Constitution prohibits any person from being elected as president more than twice.
Candidates Registered candidates Ten parties and 27 initiative committees submitted documents to participate in the elections for President and Vice President of the Republic on October 25, 2026. One party was denied registration, while another withdrew its registration. Three initiative committees were also denied registration. Consequently, a total of 32 participants remained registered: 8 parties and 25 initiative committees. Of these, one party and three initiative committees did not nominate candidate pairs and one initiative committee was canceled by CEC; ultimately, 27 candidate pairs remained registered and participated in the draw to determine their ballot numbers on the unified ballot. A complete list of independent candidates and parties registered to contest in the election is presented below: Ballot number Candidate Experience Running mate Party1Georgi DimovDimitar ShivikovIndependent2Rosen MilenovIvan IvanovIndependent3Ivanka Tsvetanova-PetkovaPanayot KyuchukovIndependent4Andrey GyurovCaretaker Prime Minister (2026), vice-governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (2023–2026), MP (2021–2023)Georgi KandevIndependent5Yordan MaldzhanskiValentin HristovIndependent6Kamen TaskovGalya IvanovaIndependent7Nako StefanovNina LambovaIndependent8Metodi BachvarovLenin StanoevIndependent9Ivaylo Simeonov Mayor of Elin Pelin Municipality (2015-present)Kosyo StoychevIndependent10Mariya KolevaValeri Velkovski11Kostadin KostadinovMP (2021-present)Petar VolginRevival12Aleksandar TomovDeputy Prime Minister (1990 – 1991), MP (1990-1994, 1997-2001)Aleksandar GaribovBSDE13Boris AnzovBranimir MichevIndependent14Rumyana ChenalovaGeorgi GeorgievIndependent15Lachezar AvramovIvaylo AtanasovIndependent16Ivo LulchevStefan PopovIndependent17Radostin VasilevMinister of Youth and Sport (2021-2022), MP (2021, 2022-2024, 2024-2026)Krasimir ManovMECh18Ivan HristanovMP (2021-2023), leader of EdinenieStoyanka CherkezovaIndependent19Ivelin MihaylovMP (2025)Yuliana MateevaVelichie20Velichka GeorgievaRosen IvanovIndependent21Volen SiderovMP (2005–2019), leader of AttackSlavcho VelkovIndependent22Nikolay NenchevMP (2014), Minister of Defence (2014-2017)Tsveta KirilovaBZNS23Iskra NedevaStoyan GeorgievIndependent24Plamen PaskovSvetozar SaevIndependent25Iliana IotovaPresident of Bulgaria (2026–present), Vice President (2017–2026), MEP (2007–2017), MP (2005–2007)Kiril ValchevIndependent26Boyan RasateLeader of BNS-NDYordan ManasievIndependent27Ventsislav AngelovAtanas Stefanov
Declined to be candidates The following notable individuals have publicly denied interest in running:
GERB–SDS Boyko Borisov, former Prime Minister (2009–2013, 2014–2017, 2017–2021), MP (2005, 2013–2014, 2017, 2023–present), mayor of Sofia (2005–2009). Tomislav Donchev, former Deputy Prime Minister Yordanka Fandakova, former mayor of Sofia Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Burgas
Former presidents Rosen Plevneliev, President (2012–2017), Minister of Regional Development (2009–2011). Petar Stoyanov, President (1997–2002), MP (1995–1996, 2005–2007).
Others Daniel Valchev, former Minister of Education and Science Yolo Denev, Despite his declaration to participate never submitted documents at the Central Electoral Commission.
Rejected or withdrawn registrations from Central Electoral Commission Bulgarian Socialist Party - discontinued registration proceedings Glas Naroden (Voice of the People) - rejected registration Initiative Committee for Velin Meledzhiev and Iliana Meledzhieva - rejected registration Initiative Committee for Dimitar Nikolov and Angel Vasilev - rejected registration Initiative Committee for Rumyana Petrova and Maya Petkova - rejected registration Initiative Committee for Yavor Genov and Maksim Velkov - canceled registration
Registered participants who have not nominated a candidate pair The following participants register with the CEC to take part in the presidential and vice-presidential elections but do not nominate a candidate pair by the deadline of September 22, 2026. DPS Initiative Committee for Miroslav PAskalev and Katya Nikolova Initiative Committee for Yordanka Koleva and Veselin Radkov Initiative Committee for Galen Todorov and Maria Paskova
Opinion polls The opinion poll results were recalculated from the original data by excluding undecided and non-voters.
Polling firmFieldwork dateSample OthersNOTA LeadIotovaGyurovKostadinovVasilevMihaylovHristanovMyara26 Sept – 4 Oct 20261,00046.925.38.82.24.22.77.62.3 21.6Trend26 Sept – 2 Oct 20261,00347.824.69.74.62.41.94.44.6 23.2Alpha Research24 Sept – 1 Oct 20261,00044.526.110.52.52.23.47.92.9 18.4Market Links26 – 29 Sept 20261,00651.627.58.02.04.91.14.624.1Sova Harris23 – 28 Sept 20261,00050.223.712.713.426.5Global Metrics23 Jun – 11 Jul 20261,50339.74.813.35.52.24.430.026.42026 Parliamentary election19 Apr 2026 43.93.012.44.23.23.10.631.8 1.5 30.72021 Presidential election14 Nov 2021 49.43.73.940.82.3 26.6
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