site.btaSocialist-Backed Presidential Candidate Wins the Most Votes in 20 out of 28 Regions in Bulgaria

Socialist-Backed Presidential Candidate  Wins the Most Votes in 20 out  of 28 Regions in Bulgaria

Sofia, November 7 (BTA) - After most tally sheets counted following the first round of presidential elections in Bulgaria November 6, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) seems to control the broadest support after its candidate Roumen Radev won the most votes in 20 out of 28 regions.

For the first time since 1990, BSP wins the most votes in Sofia which has been traditionally anti-Socialist for decades. Radev also leads in the ballots in the regions of: Yambol, Lovech, Montana, Stara Zagora, Gabrovo, Vidin, Pazardjik, Plovdiv, Plovdiv Region, Sofia Region, Sliven, Veliko Turnovo, Smolyan, Kyustendil, Dobrich, Rousse, Haskovo, Pernik, Vratsa and Pleven.

The candidate of the ruling GERB leads in the ballots in four regions: Blagoevgrad, Shoumen, Bourgas and Silistra.

Businessman-turn-politician Vesselin Mareshki has the most votes in his home city of Varna.

The candidate supported by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Plamen Oresharski, wins Kurdjali, Razgrad and Turgovishte, all three of which are long-standing MRF strongholds.

GERB's candidate Tsacheva leads by a wide margin in the number of votes won in overseas voting (24.58 per cent).

The United Patriotcs' candidate Krassimir Karakachanov and Right-wing candidate Traicho Traikov lead in none of the regions.

Analysts have been adamant to observe after the elections that the support for a candidate in majoritarian elections such as the presidential elections, does not translate directly into support for the parties which have nominated the respective candidate, at possible general elections.