Iliana Iotova confirmed as president of Bulgaria
According to projections, the incumbent Iliana Iotova has won the run-off election for the presidency in Bulgaria. With almost all votes counted, she has secured a clear victory over her pro-Western challenger, Andrey Gyurov. Iotova advocates dialogue with Russia and opposes military aid for Ukraine.
Pro-Russian policy wins the day
Corriere della Sera comments:
“The Bulgarians have decided to confirm the incumbent president, Iliana Iotova, in her post. Backed by Prime Minister Rumen Radev, she left her challenger, Andrey Gyurov – an economist supported by liberal pro-Europeans – trailing far behind. ... Iotova knows that the voters have chosen a complete package: herself, Radev and the current policy towards Moscow. ... Radev's patriotic rhetoric on foreign policy has translated into Eurosceptic and pro-Russian stances. These very same positions were also adopted by Iotova in this hard-fought election campaign: while Radev portrayed the election as a choice between 'peace and war', she presented herself as the 'President of Peace'.”
Divisive fear campaign
Iotowa has won votes primarily by stoking fears of war, criticises Fakti.bg:
“In her campaign appearances, she has often emphasised that Gyurov 'will lead Bulgaria into a war'. In practice, this is not possible, as the Constitution stipulates that decisions such as this are to be taken exclusively by parliament. ... The exploitation of fear in election campaigns is a phenomenon observed worldwide. ... This campaign strategy is particularly problematic because it divides society. Claims like this automatically turn opponents into enemies, not only in political terms but also on a purely human level. And there is no discussion of the actual political issues.”