| Country: | Bulgaria |
| Type: | presidential |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Bulgarian presidential election |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2021 Bulgarian general election |
| Next Year: | 2021 |
| Election Date: | 6 November 2016 (first round) |
| Turnout: | 56.28% (first round) 50.44% (second round) |
| Nominee1: | Rumen Radev |
| Party1: | Independent |
| Running Mate1: | Iliana Iotova |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,063,032 |
| Percentage1: | 59.37% |
| Nominee2: | Tsetska Tsacheva |
| Party2: | GERB |
| Running Mate2: | Plamen Manushev |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,256,485 |
| Percentage2: | 36.16% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Rosen Plevneliev |
| Before Party: | GERB |
| After Election: | Rumen Radev |
| After Party: | Independent politician |
Presidential elections were held in Bulgaria on 6 November 2016,[1] alongside a referendum on changes to the electoral system and political party funding. The second round was held on 13 November 2016, resulting in the victory of Rumen Radev.
The president was elected using the two-round system.[2] For the first time voters were allowed to vote for none of the above.[3]
Incumbent president Rosen Plevneliev announced in May 2016 that he would not be running for re-election.[4]
| Presidential candidate | Born | Vice presidential running-mate | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150x150px Maj.Gen.Rumen Radev | (age) Town Dimitrovgrad, Region Haskovo, Bulgaria | Independent supported by Bulgarian Socialist Party | General Radev, the former commander of the Bulgarian Air Force,[5] is supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party and was originally endorsed by the Alternative for Bulgarian Revival, but on 23 August 2016 the Bulgarian Socialist Party denied plans for a common coalition for the presidential elections.[6] Iotova is an MP in the European Parliament. | ||
| 150x150px Tsetska Tsacheva | (age) Village Dragana, Municipality Ugarchin, Region Lovech, Bulgaria | Tsacheva is the incumbent Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria.[7] Manushev is MP. | |||
| 150x150px Krasimir Karakachanov | (age) Rousse, Bulgaria | Karachanov is co-chairman of the Patriotic Front and a Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly.[8] Notev is the Deputy Chair of the Attack party and a Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly. | |||
| 150x150px Traycho Traykov | (age) Sofia, Bulgaria | Traykov is the former Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism and is currently a municipal councilor in Sofia.[9] Sabev is a general in the Bulgarian army. | |||
| 150x150px Ivaylo Kalfin | (age) Sofia, Bulgaria | Kalfin is a Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Former Minister of Labour and Social Policy, as well as the BSP presidential candidate in the 2011 election.[10] | |||
(age) Tryavna, Bulgaria | Doncheva is a jurist and a former MP;[11] Spasov is a jurist and former MP. | ||||
| 150x150px Plamen Oresharski | (age) Dupnitsa, Bulgaria | Independent supported by Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Oresharski is a former Prime Minister of Bulgaria;[12] Papazov is a former minister of Transport. | ||
(age) Plovdiv, Bulgaria | Christian Social Union | Ganchev is a former MP and three-time presidential candidate.[13] Paramov is an economist and former MP. | |||
(age) Galabovo, Bulgaria | Movement for Radical Change Bulgarian Spring | Enchev is an independent MP;[14] Grancharova is a jurist. | |||
Veselin Mareshki | (age) Varna, Bulgaria | Petar Petrov | Independent | Mareshki is a businessman.[15] | |
| Dimitar Marinov | (age) Karaisen, Bulgaria | Radoslav Petrov (aka Rado Shisharkata) | Bulgarian National Unification | Marinov (known as Mityo The Pistol) is a popular entertainer and reality show star, having appeared in VIP Brother 1, a spinoff of the Big Brother franchise;[16] Petrov (known as Rado the Fircone) is a pop-folk singer. | |
(age) Sofia, Bulgaria | Independent | Kuzov and Noev are former MPs from the union around the Attack party;[17] Their registration in the elections was denied due to insufficient number of signatures gathered.[18] | |||
| 150x150px Aleksandar Tomov | (age) Sofia, Bulgaria | Bulgarian Socialdemocratic-Euroleft | Tomov is a businessman. | ||
(age) Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria | Bulgarian Democratic Community | ||||
| Bulgaria | Independent | Popov is a businessman, sportsman.Popov struck the leader of Attack party Volen Siderov.[19] | |||
(age) Sofia, Bulgaria | Independent supported by People's Voice The Greens | Vitkov is a musician, and a municipal councilor in Sofia;[20] Velkov is a Deputy Chairman of the municipal councilor in Sofia. Their registration in the elections was denied due to insufficient number of signatures gathered. | |||
| Bulgaria | Balkanic Democratic League | ||||
(age) Lyubimets, Bulgaria | Independent | Banev is a businessman;[21] Ibrayim is a former mayor of Momchilgrad. | |||
| Bulgaria | Independent | Milanov is a recidivist;[22] Nastev is a businessman. | |||
| Bulgaria | Independent | ||||
| Bulgaria | Independent | ||||
| Bulgaria | Independent | ||||
| Bulgaria | Independent |
| Candidate | Born | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150x150px President Rosen Plevneliev | (age) Town Gotse Delchev, Region Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria | Independent | [23] | |
| 150x150px Prime Minister Boyko Borisov | (age) Town Bankya, Region Sofia, Bulgaria | GERB | Endorsed Tsetska Tsacheva[24] | |
| Pollster | Date | width=50px | Radev | width=50px | Tsacheva | width=50px | Karakachanov | width=50px | Mareshki | width=50px | Oresharski | width=50px | Traykov | width=50px | Kalfin | width=50px | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Links | 4 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 14.9 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 19.8 | 7.9 | – | 1.1 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 46.4 | ||||||
| Mediana | 8 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 18 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 25.4 | 9.9 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 6.1 | 31.9 | ||||||
| Gallup International | 12 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 15.1 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 19.2 | 7.2 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 42.4 | ||||||
| Alpha Research | 13 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 21.4 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 29.3 | 8.7 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 25 | ||||||
| TSAM | 22 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 22 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 32 | 9.1 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 16.9 | ||||||
| IMP | 22 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 21.1 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 26.6 | 9.7 | – | 1.8 | 4.9 | 8.6 | 27.3 | ||||||
| Gallup International | 25 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 16.3 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 20.2 | 8.1 | 5 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 36.1 | ||||||
| Market Links | 30 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 18.1 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 19.4 | 8.5 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 40.2 | ||||||
| Online Solutions | 3 November 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 18 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 19 | 16 | – | – | – | 15 | 32 | ||||||
| Barometre Bulgaria | 3 November 2016 | 14.4 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 19.3 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 19.1 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 29.2 |
| Pollster | Date | width=50px | Radev | width=50px | Tsacheva | width=50px | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallup International | 12 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 29.6 | 26.4 | 44 | ||
| Alpha Research | 13 October 2016 | 31.3 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 32.6 | 36.1 | ||
| Sova Harris | 15 October 2016 | 37.8 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 38.7 | 23.5 | ||
| TSAM | 22 October 2016 | 41 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 43 | 16 | ||
| Gallup International | 25 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 32.1 | 31.3 | 36.6 | ||
| Market Links | 30 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 30.7 | 25 | 44.3 | ||
| Mediana | 31 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 37.2 | 36.2 | 26.6 | ||
| Pollster | Date | width=50px | Radev | width=50px | Karakachanov | width=50px | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Links | 30 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 27.2 | 26.1 | 46.7 | ||
| Pollster | Date | width=50px | Tsacheva | width=50px | Karakachanov | width=50px | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Research | 13 October 2016 | bgcolor=#FFFF00 | 31.3 | 25.1 | 43.4 |
Gallup exit polling suggested the following demographic breakdown.
| Voter Demographics[25] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social group | % Radev | % Tsacheva | % Karakachanov | % Mareshki | % Oresharski | % Traykov | % Kalfin | % Others | % Lead |
| Exit Poll Result | 26 | 22 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| Final Result | 25.4 | 22.0 | 15.0 | 11.2 | 6.6 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 10.5 | 3.4 |
| Gender | |||||||||
| Men | 26 | 21 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 5 |
| Women | 27 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 4 |
| Age | |||||||||
| 18–30 | 19 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 1 |
| 30-60 | 23 | 23 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 60+ | 39 | 21 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 18 |
| Highest Level of Education | |||||||||
| Lower Education | 29 | 24 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 5 |
| Secondary Education | 24 | 23 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| Higher Education | 28 | 20 | 15 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 8 |
| Ethnic Group | |||||||||
| Bulgarian - 88% | 28 | 22 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Turkish - 9% | 7 | 19 | 1 | 13 | 44 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 25 |
| Roma - 3% | 27 | 36 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
| Location | |||||||||
| Towns and Villages | 25 | 25 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Smaller Cities | 29 | 24 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Larger Cities | 27 | 21 | 16 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 6 |
| Sofia | 24 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 4 |
Following the results of the second round, Prime Minister and GERB leader Boiko Borisov tendered his resignation.[26] Two days later, on 16 November, the National Assembly voted 218–0 to accept it, resulting in early parliamentary elections.[27]