Fresh Poll Pits Ruling Party Presidential Hopeful against Socialist

Bulgarian GERB ruling party presidential candidate Rosen Plevneliev will come out first at the October 23 elections, followed by Bulgarian Socialist Party hopeful Ivailo Kalfin, according to an opinion poll released Tuesday.

The study, conducted by Alpha Research, gives a still comfortable lead for Plevneliev with 38.5% against Kalfin's 23.5%.

Third comes out independent candidate, ex-EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva with 18.4%.

The next candidates, rightist Blue Coalition's Rumen Hristov and nationalists Ataka leader Volen Siderov, fare much worse at 2.4%.

Sunday another opinion poll, conducted by the Mediana agency, announced a similar ranking, with Plevneliev coming out first with 29.1%, Kalfin following at 21.9% and Kuneva third with 14.1%. According to Mediana, the Blue's Hristov will get some 3.8%, while nationalist Siderov - 3.7%.

Mediana results however give Kuneva a larger maximum potential vote than that for Kalfin. The maximum vote for Plevneliev is expected to be around 43%, against 39% for Kuneva and 33% for Kalfin.

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