Malinov to Be MEP instead of Kuneva due to Preferential Vote

Svetoslav Malinov (first L to R) seems to be preferred to Meglena Kuneva (second L to R) by voters. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Svetoslav Malinov, the Reformist Bloc's "number two" in the coalition's European elections list, is to become MEP instead of top candidate Meglena Kuneva.

Malinov has "ousted" former EU Commissioner Kuneva as preferred MEP candidate by the Reformist Bloc's voters, according to reports by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

News that the leader of Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) has replaced Movement Bulgaria for Citizens (DBG) as voters' choice come after data by protocol processing at the CEC shows the Reformist Bloc is almost certain to send only one MEP into the European Parliament after having passed the 5.88% election threshold by 0.5 percent.

Preference voting was mostly used by the Reformist Bloc's supporters, while those who cast ballot for the other parties backed candidates on top of the lists, CEC member Tsvetozar Tomov was quoted as saying.

With 55% of preferential vote data processed, it seems that the number of Bulgara in voters who used the newly-introduced option could be somewhere between a third and a half of the voters.

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