Bulgarians Vote for President as Black Sea Drone Strikes Escalate

Bulgarians are voting in presidential elections on Sunday, Oct. 25, amid regional security strains following fatal drone strikes on commercial cargo ships off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. Acting President Iliana Iotova leads polling at 41 percent over pro-Western former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov at 28 percent, with a runoff set for Nov. 1 if no candidate secures an absolute majority. The vote unfolds as Sofia requests NATO air and naval assets to secure commercial maritime lanes, while both leading contenders present contrasting foreign policies regarding support for Ukraine and transatlantic security.