RADEV AHEAD OF TSACHEVA IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS – FIRST EXIT POLLS BY GALLUP

First exit polls by Gallup international polling agency by 19:00h show that there will be a second round of presidential elections. The candidate nominated by an initiative committee and  backed by the opposition Bulgarian socialist Party, Rumen Radev, won 26.7% of the votes and leads by 4-6% difference. 22.5% of the voters supported Tsetska Tsacheva, the candidate of the main ruling party, the centre-right GERB.

Krasimir Karakatchanov is third with 15%. He is the candidate of United Patriots electoral coalition, made up of the National Movement for the Salvation of Bulgaria, Volen Siderov’s Ataka party and Karakachanov’s VMRO party.

Exit polls by Gallup showed fourth place going to the businessman Vesselin Mareshki at 9.9%, followed by the candidate of the minority coalition partner Reformist Bloc, Traicho Traikov, at 6.8%.

Sixth is the former Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, standing as an independent, at 5.8%, seventh is the socialists breakaway party ABC party’s candidate Ivaylo Kalfin at 3.4% and eighth is the candidate of Movement 21- National Movement for Stability and Progress joint ticket, Tatyana Doncheva at 1.8%.

The option “I do not support anyone” received 5.6% according to Gallup.