欧美文化:1st LD Writethru: Bulgaria's incumbent president leads presidential elections: exit polls

SOFIA, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's incumbent President Rumen Radev is well ahead of other candidates in the first round of the country's presidential elections on Sunday, according to exit polls announced on the Bulgarian National TV.

According to Alpha Research, one of the leading agencies for social and political research in Bulgaria, Radev, who is backed by several parties, is expected to have 49.1 percent of the valid votes, while another exit poll conducted by Gallup International showed that Radev would get 49.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Alpha Research said that 26.5 percent of the votes went to Anastas Gerdjikov, supported by GERB party, while Gallup International said 24.9 percent of voters cast their ballots for Gerdjikov.

The two exit polls showed that Mustafa Karadayi, leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, came third with 9.8 percent and 8.9 percent of the votes respectively.

The voter turnout was 38.4 percent and 36.9 percent, according to Alpha Research and Gallup International, respectively.

To be elected in the first round, a candidate had to receive more than 50 percent of the votes, provided that more than half of all eligible voters have cast their ballots in the election.

The official results are expected to be released on Tuesday, and the runoff between the two top candidates is to be held next Sunday.

As many as 23 candidates participated in the presidential elections.

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