Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Voter turnout in the first round of Bulgaria's local elections is low

| updated on 10/30/23 9:46 AM
Photo: BTA

There will be a runoff of the the election for mayor in Sofia. The candidate of "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (PP-DB) and "Save Sofia" Vasil Terziev leads with 33 %. Vanya Grigorova, supported by the BSP, faces him with 21.1 percent. Voter turnout in the capital Sofia was 37.5%, according to a 100% completed sample from the parallel count of the votes conducted by Gallup International Balkan - the sociological agency that is a partner of the BNR.

Of the 1.1 million citizens of Sofia who have the right to vote, 379,750 voters went to the polls. In the previous local elections in 2019, voters were 455,936, or 42.82% of all citizens having the right to vote.


The mayors of some regional cities were elected in the first round including: Kardzhali - Erol Myumyun from MRF - 55.8%; Yambol - Valentin Revanski from "Direct Democracy" - 79.15; Burgas - Dimitar Nikolov from GERB - 60%; Vratsa - Kalin Kamenov from GERB - 67%; Stara Zagora - Zhivko Todorov from GERB - 51.2%; Pernik - Stanislav Vladimirov local coalition - 71.5%; Montana - Zlati Zhivkov from GERB-SDS - 59%; Targovishte - Darin Dimitrov from GERB -67%.

In Gabrovo, it is not yet clear whether there will be a runoff.

In the country's second largest city, Plovdiv, there will be a runoff on November 5 between Kostadin Dimitrov from GERB and Ivaylo Staribratov from PP-DB, Ivan Portnih GERB and Blagomir Kotsev PP-DB will argue in Varna. 

There will be runoffs also in the regional cities of Veliko Tarnovo, Kyustendil, Haskovo, Vidin, Pazardjik, Pleven, Razgrad, Smolyan, Ruse, Dobrich, Shumen, Silistra, Lovech, Gabrovo, Sliven and Blagoevgrad.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Sofia prepares to host the 66th General Assembly of PABSEC

I expect that in Sofia, the parliamentarians from the member states of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) will make forward-looking decisions that will support cooperation and the development of the countries in the..

published on 11/21/25 6:33 PM

Bulgaria invests 115 million euros in secure satellite communications infrastructure

In 2026, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth will invest nearly 115 million euros in national infrastructure for secure satellite communications and in joint projects between business and academia. The funds will be distributed in..

published on 11/21/25 4:18 PM

European Public Prosecutor's Office investigates fraud with agricultural subsidies in Bulgaria

As part of an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Sofia, the police carried out several searches and seizures this week on suspicion of fraud with EU subsidies for agriculture, BTA has reported,..

published on 11/21/25 3:43 PM