Iotova Leads Bulgaria Runoff in Exit Polls

Bulgaria’s acting president, Iliana Iotova, led the presidential runoff in exit-poll estimates released after voting closed Sunday, but the official result had not yet been announced. Four of five polling agencies put her at 50.7% to 52.5%, compared with 43.4% to 44.7% for former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov. The Central Election Commission was expected to announce the formal result Monday after ballots were counted. If the projections are confirmed, Iotova would become the first woman elected directly to Bulgaria’s presidency. The exit polls do not establish the final outcome. Estimated turnout was 27% to 29%, according to the polls. That would be higher than the 23% recorded in the first round on October 25, though turnout remained low compared with parliamentary elections. The first-round official results gave Iotova about 35% and Gyurov about 32%, with Iotova ahead by fewer than 43,000 votes, leading to the runoff. The candidates differ in their positions on Russia and assistance to Ukraine. Iotova has argued for negotiations with Moscow and opposed continued military assistance to Ukraine. In a televised debate, Gyurov criticized her for not directly blaming...