# 2016 Bulgarian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Bulgaria on 6 November 2016, 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.

## Electoral system

The president was elected using the two-round system. For the first time voters were allowed to vote for none of the above.

## Candidates

Incumbent president Rosen Plevneliev announced in May 2016 that he would not be running for re-election.

### Official candidates

| Presidential candidate | Born | Vice presidential running-mate | Party | Notes |
| Maj.Gen.Rumen Radev | 18 June 1963 (age 53) Town Dimitrovgrad, Region Haskovo, Bulgaria | Iliana Iotova | Independent supported by Bulgarian Socialist Party | General Radev, the former commander of the Bulgarian Air Force, 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. Iotova is an MP in the European Parliament. |
| Tsetska Tsacheva | 24 May 1958 (age 58) Village Dragana, Municipality Ugarchin, Region Lovech, Bulgaria | Plamen Manushev | GERB | Tsacheva is the incumbent Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria. Manushev is MP. |
| Krasimir Karakachanov | 29 March 1965 (age 51) Rousse, Bulgaria | Yavor Notev | United Patriots | Karachanov is co-chairman of the Patriotic Front and a Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly. Notev is the Deputy Chair of the Attack party and a Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly. |
| Traycho Traykov | 19 April 1970 (age 46) Sofia, Bulgaria | Sabi Sabev | Reformist Bloc | Traykov is the former Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism and is currently a municipal councilor in Sofia. Sabev is a general in the Bulgarian army. |
| Ivaylo Kalfin | 30 May 1964 (age 52) Sofia, Bulgaria | Lyubomir Halachev | Kalfin President Coalition | 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. |
| Tatyana Doncheva | 28 January 1960 (age 56) Tryavna, Bulgaria | Mincho Spasov | Movement 21 National Movement for Stability and Progress | Doncheva is a jurist and a former MP; Spasov is a jurist and former MP. |
| Plamen Oresharski | 21 February 1960 (age 56) Dupnitsa, Bulgaria | Danail Papazov | Independent supported by Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Oresharski is a former Prime Minister of Bulgaria; Papazov is a former minister of Transport. |
| George Ganchev | 29 August 1939 (age 77) Plovdiv, Bulgaria | Kolyo Paramov | Christian Social Union | Ganchev is a former MP and three-time presidential candidate. Paramov is an economist and former MP. |
| Velizar Enchev | 7 January 1953 (age 63) Galabovo, Bulgaria | Bilyana Grancharova | Movement for Radical Change Bulgarian Spring | Enchev is an independent MP; Grancharova is a jurist. |
| Veselin Mareshki | 26 March 1967 (age 49) Varna, Bulgaria | Petar Petrov | Independent | Mareshki is a businessman. |
| Dimitar Marinov | 15 August 1955 (age 61) 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; Petrov (known as Rado the Fircone) is a pop-folk singer. |
| Vladimir Kuzov | 16 June 1966 (age 50) Sofia, Bulgaria | Borislav Noev | Independent | Kuzov and Noev are former MPs from the union around the Attack party; Their registration in the elections was denied due to insufficient number of signatures gathered. |
| Aleksandar Tomov | 27 April 1954 (age 62) Sofia, Bulgaria | Radoslav Radoslavov | Bulgarian Socialdemocratic-Euroleft | Tomov is a businessman. |
| Gospodin Tonev | 29 November 1955 (age 60) Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria | Andrey Andreev | Bulgarian Democratic Community | |
| Kamen Popov | Bulgaria | Georgi Nedelchev | Independent | Popov is a businessman, sportsman. Popov struck the leader of Attack party Volen Siderov. |
| Svetoslav Vitkov | 26 January 1971 (age 45) Sofia, Bulgaria | Ivan Velkov | Independent supported by People's Voice The Greens | Vitkov is a musician, and a municipal councilor in Sofia; 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. |
| Kemil Ramadan | Bulgaria | Momchil Dobrev | Balkanic Democratic League | |
| Nikolay Banev | 16 August 1959 (age 57) Lyubimets, Bulgaria | Sali Ibrayim | Independent | Banev is a businessman; Ibrayim is a former mayor of Momchilgrad. |
| Biser Milanov | Bulgaria | Krasimir Nastev | Independent | Milanov is a recidivist; Nastev is a businessman. |
| Diana Dimitrova | Bulgaria | Gabriel Gerasimov | Independent | |
| Yordanka Koleva | Bulgaria | Veselin Hristov | Independent | |
| Plamen Paskov | Bulgaria | Svetozar Saev | Independent | |
| Rumen Galabinov | Bulgaria | Veska Voleva | Independent | |

### Declined

| Candidate | Born | Party | Notes |
| President Rosen Plevneliev | 14 May 1964 (age 52) Town Gotse Delchev, Region Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria | Independent | |
| Prime Minister Boyko Borisov | 13 June 1959 (age 57) Town Bankya, Region Sofia, Bulgaria | GERB | Endorsed Tsetska Tsacheva |

## Opinion polls
### First round

| Pollster | Date | Radev | Tsacheva | Karakachanov | Mareshki | Oresharski | Traykov | Kalfin | Others |
| Market Links | 4 October 2016 | 14.9 | 19.8 | 7.9 | – | 1.1 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 46.4 |
| Mediana | 8 October 2016 | 18 | 25.4 | 9.9 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 6.1 | 31.9 |
| Gallup International | 12 October 2016 | 15.1 | 19.2 | 7.2 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 42.4 |
| Alpha Research | 13 October 2016 | 21.4 | 29.3 | 8.7 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 25 |
| TSAM | 22 October 2016 | 22 | 32 | 9.1 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 16.9 |
| IMP | 22 October 2016 | 21.1 | 26.6 | 9.7 | – | 1.8 | 4.9 | 8.6 | 27.3 |
| Gallup International | 25 October 2016 | 16.3 | 20.2 | 8.1 | 5 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 36.1 |
| Market Links | 30 October 2016 | 18.1 | 19.4 | 8.5 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 40.2 |
| Online Solutions | 3 November 2016 | 18 | 19 | 16 | – | – | – | 15 | 32 |
| Barometre Bulgaria | 3 November 2016 | 14.4 | 19.3 | 19.1 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 29.2 |

### Second round

| Pollster | Date | Radev | Tsacheva | Others |
| Gallup International | 12 October 2016 | 29.6 | 26.4 | 44 |
| Alpha Research | 13 October 2016 | 31.3 | 32.6 | 36.1 |
| Sova Harris | 15 October 2016 | 37.8 | 38.7 | 23.5 |
| TSAM | 22 October 2016 | 41 | 43 | 16 |
| Gallup International | 25 October 2016 | 32.1 | 31.3 | 36.6 |
| Market Links | 30 October 2016 | 30.7 | 25 | 44.3 |
| Mediana | 31 October 2016 | 37.2 | 36.2 | 26.6 |
| Pollster | Date | Radev | Karakachanov | Others |
| Market Links | 30 October 2016 | 27.2 | 26.1 | 46.7 |
| Pollster | Date | Tsacheva | Karakachanov | Others |
| Alpha Research | 13 October 2016 | 31.3 | 25.1 | 43.4 |

## Results

| Candidate | Candidate | Running mate | Party | First round | First round | Second round | Second round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Running mate | Party | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Rumen Radev | Iliana Iotova | Independent (Bulgarian Socialist Party) | 973,754 | 25.44 | 2,063,032 | 59.37 |
| | Tsetska Tsacheva | Plamen Manushev | GERB | 840,635 | 21.96 | 1,256,485 | 36.16 |
| | Krasimir Karakachanov | Yavor Notev | United Patriots | 573,016 | 14.97 | | |
| | Veselin Mareshki | Petar Petrov | Independent | 427,660 | 11.17 | | |
| | Plamen Oresharski | Danail Papazov | Independent | 253,726 | 6.63 | | |
| | Traycho Traykov | Sabi Sabev | Reformist Bloc | 224,734 | 5.87 | | |
| | Ivailo Kalfin | Lyubomir Halachev | Alternative for Bulgarian Revival | 125,531 | 3.28 | | |
| | Tatyana Doncheva | Mincho Spasov | Movement 21–NDSV | 69,372 | 1.81 | | |
| | George Ganchev | Kolyo Paramov | Christian Social Union | 27,928 | 0.73 | | |
| | Velizar Enchev | Bilyana Grancharova | Movement for Radical Change Bulgarian Spring | 18,213 | 0.48 | | |
| | Dimitar Marinov | Radoslav Petrov | Bulgarian National Unification | 14,974 | 0.39 | | |
| | Rumen Galabinov | Veska Voleva | Independent | 10,286 | 0.27 | | |
| | Plamen Paskov | Svetozar Saev | Independent | 10,103 | 0.26 | | |
| | Aleksandar Tomov | Radoslav Radoslavov | Bulgarian Social Democracy–EuroLeft | 9,513 | 0.25 | | |
| | Gospodin Tonev | Andrey Andreev | Bulgarian Democratic Community | 6,855 | 0.18 | | |
| | Kemil Ramadan | Momchil Dobrev | Balkanic Democratic League | 6,089 | 0.16 | | |
| | Kamen Popov | Georgi Nedelchev | Independent | 5,212 | 0.14 | | |
| | Diana Dimitrova | Gabriel Gerasimov | Independent | 4,362 | 0.11 | | |
| | Nikolay Banev | Sali Ibrayim | Independent | 4,196 | 0.11 | | |
| | Yordanka Koleva | Veselin Hristov | Independent | 4,182 | 0.11 | | |
| | Biser Milanov | Krasimir Nastev | Independent | 3,215 | 0.08 | | |
| None of the above | None of the above | None of the above | None of the above | 214,094 | 5.59 | 155,411 | 4.47 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 3,827,650 | 100.00 | 3,474,928 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 3,827,650 | 96.96 | 3,474,928 | 98.14 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 119,925 | 3.04 | 66,036 | 1.86 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,947,575 | 100.00 | 3,540,964 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 7,014,723 | 56.28 | 7,020,119 | 50.44 |
| Source: Electoral Commission of Bulgaria ||||||||

### Voter demographics

Gallup exit polling suggested the following demographic breakdown.
Voter Demographics :
| 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 |

## Aftermath

Following the results of the second round, Prime Minister and GERB leader Boiko Borisov tendered his resignation. Two days later, on 16 November, the National Assembly voted 218–0 to accept it, resulting in early parliamentary elections.