Bulgaria’s 2026 presidential elections: The Sofia Globe’s factfile

September 25 marks the start of the official campaign period ahead of Bulgaria’s 2026 presidential elections on October 25. This is The Sofia Globe’s factfile.

The presidential elections are regular ones, to vote into office a head of state for a five-year term beginning in January 2027.

There are 27 presidential candidates. This is the highest number of candidates in a presidential election in Bulgaria since the country began direct democratic elections of its head of state. The previous largest numbers were 23 in 2021, and in 1992 and 2016, a total of 21 each.

In the presidential election, to win at the first round, a candidate must get at least 50 per cent of valid votes, with voter turnout of at least 50 per cent. If a candidate does not achieve a first-round victory, a second round must be held, between the top two candidates from the first round. If in 2026 a second round is required, it will be on November 1.

About 6.7 million Bulgarians, in the country and abroad, are eligible to vote. Bulgarian citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to vote, but not if they are serving an effective term of imprisonment.

Voting will be done using voting machines at all polling stations where more than 300 voters are registered. There are exceptions for places where voting will be done using a mobile ballot box, polling places in medical establishments, homes for the elderly and social services institutions, vessels flying the Bulgarian flag and and sections outside the country for which fewer than 300 applications have been submitted or where fewer than 300 voters cast ballots in the previous election.

The official campaign period continues until midnight on October 23. Following the close of the official campaign period, October 24 will be a “Day of Contemplation” during which canvassing is forbidden.

During the official campaign period, media publishing the results of opinion polls are required by law to include information, as provided by the polling agency, of items such as the methodology and sample size of the poll and how the poll was funded.

Coverage of the elections on public media is governed by law and by agreements between the heads of the public media and the parties and coalitions, as approved by the Central Election Commission.

Campaign materials, whether in print, on air or on billboards, are required by law to include the words “buying and selling of votes is a crime”.

Canvassing may be conducted solely in the Bulgarian language.

During the campaign period, election materials may not include the coat or arms or the flag of Bulgaria or a foreign country, nor religious signs or images. Election advertising may not depict children.

Electoral law forbids the distribution of anonymous campaign materials and those that denigrate the “good morals, honour and dignity” of candidates.

Campaigning in state and municipal institutions and companies, as well as the use of state or municipal property by parties, coalitions, independent candidates and initiative committees, is prohibited.

From the end of the campaign period until after 8pm on November 14, it is forbidden to make public the results of exit polls.

On election weekend, municipalities have the right to ban or restrict the sale of alcohol. There are 265 municipalities in Bulgaria, so such decrees – if issued – have to be checked individually. Any such ban also applies to foreigners ineligible to vote in presidential elections in Bulgaria.

On October 25, voting opens at 7am and continues until 8pm. If there are still queues at 8pm, election officials are empowered to extend voting, but no later than 9pm. These same hours and rules apply at polling stations abroad, on the basis of local times.

No later than 48 hours after the Central Electoral Commission declares the end of election day, it must declare the names of the president and vice president who have been elected.

But if, as above, no one has won a first-round victory, a second round must be held on November 1. The Central Election Commission has 48 hours from the end of the October 25 election day to declare the two candidate tickets that received the highest number of votes, to compete in the second round.