'They understood our message': Bulgarian president wins runoff vote

Bulgaria's President Iliana Iotova won a presidential runoff vote on Sunday. The race for the largely ceremonial post had pitted Iotova, an ally of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, against Andrey Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister backed by the pro-Western opposition.

Iotova gained between 57.4 percent and 58.2 percent of the vote, according to estimates from several polling institutes, well ahead of Gyurov, who garnered between 38.6 percent and 39.6 percent.

Flanked by Radev, a jubilant Iotova declared victory, saying her message had focused on "incomes, peace and the challenges that lie ahead". EU chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Iotova. "From security and defense to the competitiveness and energy independence, she look forward to continuing their joint work. For a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe," she said on X.