Bulgaria's Ruling Party Presidential Candidate Leads Polls

A total of 22.9% of the respondents of a poll conducted by polling agency Alpha Research said they would vote for Plevneliev, who resigned as regional development minister to talke part in the election race. Some 14% would back the candidate of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Ivailo Kalfin, MEP and former foreign minister, and 11.1% would cast a ballot for former European Commissioner Meglena Kouneva, who runs as independent. The poll was conducted among 1,040 people between September 8 and 15, and its results were published on the website of the polling agency.

If the presidential elections were held at the end of September Plevneliev would garner the support of 32%, followed by Kalfin with 18% and Kuneva with 9.0%, state-run news agency BTA reported quoting a nationwide poll carried by the National Centre for Public Opinion Studies (NCPOS) between September 22 and September 26.

If neither candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the two frontrunners face a runoff a week later.

"A runoff between the candidates of GERB and BSP seems the most likely scenario for the time being," NCPOS concludes, adding that in the runoff about a half of voters would back Plevneliev versus some 28% who would support Kalfin.

According to a survey conducted by BBSS Gallup International, 27% will vote for Plevneliev, 15% for Kalfin and 13% for Kuneva. In a runoff against Kalfin, Plevneliev would win 41% versus 22% for his opponent. If faced with Kuneva, he would collect 35% against 26% support for her. The poll was carried out between September 8 and September 15.

This will be Bulgaria's fifth direct presidential vote since the fall of communism in 1989.

The second term of the incumbent President Georgi Parvanov expires in January and he is not eligible to run in the elections.

Parallel to the presidential elections, Bulgaria will also hold local elections.