Assessing the Weekly News 02 [November 01, 2026 – November 07, 2026] - Research Unit of Russia, Eurasia and Southeastern Europe

Assessing the Weekly News
November 01, 2026 – November 07, 2026

The most important event of the week is…

◆ the elections held in Bulgaria. On Sunday, November 1, and Monday, November 2, voters were asked to elect the President of the Republic, following the move of former President Rumen Radev to the office of the Prime Minister in the presidential elections of April 2026. The two presidential candidates were former Vice President Iliana Yotova and former Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, with Iotova receiving 57.57% of the vote, while her opponent garnered 39.5%. Despite Gyurov’s pro-EU stance, the corruption allegations against him were enough to drive voters to Yotova as a reaction to the country’s worsening corruption problems. This election process appears to be helping stabilize a country that has been experiencing persistent political instability and frequent elections since 2021.

◆ the sweeping victory of the Democratic Party in the US midterm elections on November 3. Democrats achieved a decisive victory by securing a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This development shifts the balance of power in Washington, resulting in a divided government and drastically limiting the President’s legislative agenda. This victory is significant because it deprives the administration of domestic dominance while simultaneously having an international dimension, as it could force the US to redefine its foreign policy.

The aforementioned opinions are those of their respective authors and they do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Institute of International Relations or its Researchers.