Bulgaria’s incumbent President Rumen Radev is heading for a second term as president. Judging by exit polls, he won 66 percent of the vote, well ahead of his challenger Anastas Gerdzhikov, who was backed by center-right former prime minister Borissov.
Last week there was also a vote for a new president. But because Radev was just short of an absolute majority (49.4 percent), a second round of elections was necessary.
The presidency in Bulgaria is mainly ceremonial. In political crises, when a president can appoint interim cabinets, the president is a key figure. He can also influence public opinion.
Two new elections
The elections took place amid widespread discontent over corruption in the EU’s poorest country. They mark an end to Prime Minister Borissov’s 12-year rule in April.
Then found the parliamentary elections place, which Borissov with his centre-right party GERB still nipt won, but because the country’s second and third parties refused to cooperate with him, new elections were held twice.
In the latest elections, held at the same time as the presidential election last week, the anti-corruption party PP (‘We continue the change’) won with over a quarter of the vote. Borissov came in second with his party.
Corrupt politicians
Radev, an outspoken critic of Borissov and a strong supporter of last year’s anti-corruption protests, has won many Bulgarians who are fed up with corrupt politicians. He previously appointed two interim cabinets that exposed alleged corruption cases in the industrial and financial sector.
“Let’s not give the past a chance to torpedo our future. Let everyone take 15 minutes today to vote so that we don’t waste time for the next five years,” Radev said as he cast his vote.
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