Sofia Overwhelmingly Backed Ruling GERB President Bid

Former Regional Minister from the GERB cabinet, Rosen Plevneliev and former Justice Minister, Margarita Popova (r), triumph after the runoff election which made them the new Bulgarian president and vice-president. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

The candidate of the ruling GERB party, Rosen Plevneliev, and his running mate, Justice Minister from the GERB cabinet, Margarita Popova, have received 61% of the vote in the capital Sofia.

The data was reported by the Sofia Municipal Electoral Commission (OIC) after 100% of the voting polls protocols were processed overnight.

The total number of ballots, cast in the capital's 1 456 voting polls, for the presidential runoff Sunday was 454 750. Of them 6 219 were invalid.

Plevneliev's top rival – Ivaylo Kalfin, candidate of the opposition, left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), and his running mate – movie star and ex Culture Minister, Stefan Danailov, got 39% of the vote.

During the first round of the local and presidential elections, held on October 23, Sofia reelected incumbent mayor Yordanka Fandakova.

A total of 53.31% of all who voted in the local election a week ago supported GERB candidate Fandakova.

BSP runner Georgi Kadiev won 22.24% of all votes, while right-wing Blue Coalition's Proshko Proshkov received 11.5%. Nikolay Pehlivanov, the bidder endorsed by the far-right Ataka (Attack) party, finished fourth with 2.78%.

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