Presidential election in Bulgaria to be decided in a runoff: Alpha Research

The presidential ticket of incumbent head of state Iliana Iotova and Kiril Valchev has the support of 44.5% of those who have definitely decided to vote on 25 October, according to a poll by Alpha Research. The candidates Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev is in second place with 26.1%, while Kostadin Kostadinov and Petar Volgin are third with 10.5%.

Speaking to bTV, sociologist Boryana Dimitrova stressed that the figures reflect the preferences of those who were firmly decided to vote at the start of the campaign, and that changes remain possible before election day.

“We are talking, first, about a certain runoff and, second, with a very high degree of probability, a runoff between the two leading presidential tickets,” Dimitrova said. She qualified her statement, however, by noting that shifts in the standings cannot be ruled out before the end of the campaign.

According to her, 30% of those firmly decided to vote could still change their choice. She also pointed out that nearly 40% of those who say they will not vote are motivated by disappointment with politicians, while around 24% believe there is no politician who represents them.

The poll also shows strong public demand for a live televised debate between the main candidates, with 62.6% saying such a debate should be held before the first round. According to Dimitrova, society needs clearly stated positions and greater clarity about the candidates’ visions.

The Alpha Research survey was conducted from 24 September to 1 October using the agency’s own funds and among 1,000 Bulgarian adults, BGNES reports.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov