Bulgaria's incumbent president wins presidential runoff - China.org.cn

Bulgaria's incumbent President Rumen Radev has convincingly won Sunday's presidential runoff, according to exit polls announced on the Bulgarian National TV.

According to Alpha Research agency, Radev would have 63.9 percent of the vote against 33.1 percent for Anastas Gerdjikov, and 3 percent preferred the option "none of the above."

Gallup International anticipated 65.7 percent for Radev, 31.5 percent for Gerdjikov, and 2.8 percent "none of the above."

The official results are expected to be announced on Wednesday.

As many as 23 candidates participated in the first round of the presidential elections last Sunday. Radev, who was backed by several political formations such as Continue the Change coalition, Bulgarian Socialist Party and There Is Such A People, won with 49.42 percent.

Gerdjikov, rector of Sofia University, who was supported by the center-right GERB party, ranked second with 22.83 percent.

Bulgaria's president is elected directly by the people for a period of five years. Radev's term will expire at the end of January 2022.