Gallup: Ex Bulgarian Regional Minister Favored as President

Bulgaria's former Regional Minister, Rosen Plevneliev, could become the country's next President. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's former Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Rosen Plevneliev, is still the top contender for the country's presidential office with 29% of the vote.

The data comes from a recent poll, released by the Gallup poling agency, focusing on the voters' attitude, ahead of the October 23 presidential and local elections in the country. The poll has been conducted among 1 006 voters between September 29 and October 8, 2011.

Plevneliev, who is nominated by the ruling center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, GERB, party is followed in the ranking with 21% by the candidate of the opposition, left-wing Bulgarian Socialist party, BSP, Ivaylo Kalfin, who is a former Foreign Affairs Minister in the Socialist-led Three-Way Coalition cabinet and a current Member of the European Parliament.

The first and now-former Bulgarian EU Commissioner and independent presidential candidate, formerly from the party of ex King and Prime Minister, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, National Movement for Stability and Prosperity, NMSP, Meglena Kuneva, is third with 11%.

Gallup have also registered significant mobilization of supporters of both Plevneliev and Kalfin, which is the strongest for the latter – 5% up since September, 2011.

If, hypothetically, there would be a second round in the presidential elections, where Plevneliev is to face Kalfin – he would get 39% of the vote against 24% for Kalfin. 31% would abstain from voting while 6% are still undecided. In a Plevneliev against Kuneva scenario, Plevneliev would get 36% and Kuneva - 25%.

Kalfin's running mate, former Culture Minister from the BSP quota and movie star, Stefan Danailov, is enjoying very high approval ratings – 44%, which is ranking him 2nd in October, only after the long-term favorite and number one politician - current Bulgarian EU Commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva.

The two are followed by President, Georgi Parvanov and Plevneliev with 43%, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, with 42%, and Kuneva with 34%.

45% of respondents disapprove of the reaction of the cabinet to the clashes in the Plovdiv village of Katunitsa against 26% who approve it and 29% who say they do not have an opinion.

In October, 57% of the polled believe Bulgaria is regressing, while 38% respond the common economic situation in the country will worsen in the next 12 months.

If general elections were to be held today, 32% would vote for GERB, 20% for BSP, and 8% for the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS. 31% say they would not vote.

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