Bulgarian voters cast ballots today in the first round of the presidential election, sending incumbent President Iliana Iotova and pro-Western challenger Andrey Gyurov to a runoff on November 1.

Exit polls from multiple agencies showed Iotova, backed by center-left parties including Progressive Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Socialist Party, receiving between 35 and 36.5 percent of the vote. Gyurov, an economist and former caretaker prime minister supported by liberal-conservative opposition groups, trailed closely with 31 to 33 percent.

Partial official results with over 30 percent of protocols processed confirmed the tight race, with Iotova at approximately 34.8 percent and Gyurov at 31.7 percent. No candidate reached the majority needed to win outright, and turnout remained low at around 22 percent.

Nationalist candidate Kostadin Kostadinov of the pro-Russian Revival party placed third with about 13 percent. Other candidates received single-digit support.

Iotova assumed the presidency in January after former President Rumen Radev stepped down. She has emphasized dialogue with Moscow amid the Ukraine conflict. Gyurov, backed by reformist opposition, advocates stronger alignment with European Union and NATO policies.

The runoff will test support for these contrasting foreign policy approaches in the NATO and EU member state. Official final results from the first round are expected within 48 hours.