Iliyana Yotova, a supporter of dialogue with Moscow, wins presidential elections in Bulgaria, notes the newspaper “Libération“.
Without change in the presidential post in Bulgaria. In the second round of the elections for head of state, in which two candidates with opposing positions faced each other, especially regarding the war in Ukraine and relations with Russia, Bulgarians decided to re-elect Iliyana Yotova for a new term. She led the country in the period after January after the resignation of then-President Rumen Radev, who later became Prime Minister, the newspaper recalls.
During the television debate on Thursday evening, Yotova stated that “peace can only come through negotiations“. "Pouring more money into Ukraine, providing new and more advanced weapons, will only lead to more destruction and the deaths of many people on both sides," she said. For her part, her opponent, Andrei Gyurov, a former caretaker prime minister supported in these elections by the pro-Western opposition, said during this debate that "Russia must stop its aggression so that the next steps can be taken." "Let's name the country from which the threats come," he stressed, reproaching Iliana Yotova for not directly accusing Moscow of these threats.
Bulgaria's Prime Minister, center-left Rumen Radev, also supports Yotova's thesis that "the ceasefire in Ukraine and peace talks are the only sure guarantee for an end to attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea," the publication also commented.
Bulgaria, which has historically been close to Russia, remains deeply divided about its relations with this country, notes "Liberation."
The newspaper also focuses on the historically low voter turnout in the first round of the presidential vote, held a week ago. The publication quotes sociologist Boryana Dimitrova, according to whom this abstention from voting in the first round is explained by the fact that some voters considered “Iotova's victory certain“. Another factor is the disappointment with the “excessively inflated“ expectations of some voters of Rumen Radev's party “Progressive Bulgaria“, six months after its victory in the parliamentary elections.
The election campaign was also marked by accusations from the opposition that Rumen Radev had used state resources to campaign in support of Iliyana Yotova. The Central Election Commission rejected these accusations, but Andrey Gyurov's team intends to take the case to court, “Liberation“ indicates.
The publication “Ven Minut“ notes that Yotova's opponent in the elections, Andrey Gyurov, told the media that he accepts "the results as they are." "The best is yet to come and we have laid solid foundations on which we can build," he added.
The publication also publishes a biographical note on Yotova, in which it recalls that at a certain period of her career she was also a member of the European Parliament.
V. “Le-z-eko“ notes that the pro-Russian Iliana Yotova was elected president of Bulgaria despite low voter turnout.
“With Yotova's victory in the presidential elections, is Bulgaria moving towards Moscow's camp?“, asks the European publication “Gran Continent“, which is published in French, Spanish and Italian.
The French edition of “Euronews“ commented that the war in Ukraine played an important role in these elections in Bulgaria - a country located on NATO's eastern flank. Throughout the campaign, Iliana Yotova repeatedly called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine through negotiations and dialogue with Russia. She said she wanted to be a “president of peace”.
During the campaign, Andrey Gyurov, for his part, demonstrated a desire for closer rapprochement with Western partners, strengthening support for Ukraine and taking a tougher stance towards Moscow.
This vote represented the first major test for Prime Minister Rumen Radev's “Progressive Bulgaria“ party, perceived as pro-Russian and which supported Iliana Yotova, adds “Euronews“. Observers expect Yotova to now remain faithful to Radev's political line - preserving Bulgaria's European orientation, combined with support for improving relations with Russia and lifting sanctions against Moscow, the media outlet also points out and recalls what the powers of the Bulgarian president are in principle.
In a correspondence from Sofia, the French radio RFI defines Yotova's victory as convincing and recalls that she received the support of several parties: Rumen Radev's "Progressive Bulgaria", the Bulgarian Socialist Party, but also the far right. What these different political formations have in common is that they are all pro-Russian, the media outlet notes.
Geopolitics and security issues have indeed dominated the election campaign at a time when the war in Ukraine is approaching Bulgaria, the French radio outlet also points out. In October, drone attacks on ships near the Bulgarian coast became more frequent. Radev and Yotova are not inclined to openly blame Russia, instead calling for the organization of peace talks, the media outlet adds.
V. "Figaro" reprints information from the Agence France Presse about the result of the second round of the presidential elections in Bulgaria. The reprint also states that, according to Boryana Dimitrova, Yotova managed to convince voters by presenting herself as a “president of peace“. “The sensitive string of fear of war was used“, the analyst notes. She also notes that Prime Minister Rumen Radev's party – “Progressive Bulgaria“, which supported Yotova, managed to mobilize its voters again after the disputed first round, “Figaro“ writes.
V. “Mond“ writes that President-elect Yotova believes that voters have understood her message, which is focused on “income, peace and the challenges that must be overcome“. For his part, Prime Minister Rumen Radev, whose party backed Yotova's candidacy, said Bulgarians had chosen a "stable and clear perspective" after a period of political instability marked by eight parliamentary votes since 2021.