Iliana Iotova leads the October 25, 2026 Bulgarian presidential race as the acting incumbent who assumed office in January after Rumen Radev’s resignation. Her strong position reflects endorsements from the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party—which secured a parliamentary majority in the April 2026 vote—and the Bulgarian Socialist Party, alongside polling that shows her commanding a clear advantage over other declared or expected candidates. Andrey Gyurov trails as the main challenger, drawing support from segments seeking an alternative amid ongoing coalition dynamics and institutional transitions. Other figures remain marginal due to limited party backing, lower name recognition, or weaker alignment with current voter coalitions. Recent developments, including Iotova’s formal candidacy confirmation in early August and stable government backing, have reinforced trader consensus around her frontrunner status, with no major disruptions reported in the past month to shift probabilities.