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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarians vote for a president | Bulgarians vote for a president |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Bulgarians are going to the polls to elect a president for a five-year term. | Bulgarians are going to the polls to elect a president for a five-year term. |
| Incumbent Georgi Parvanov - who negotiated Bulgaria's entry into the EU - is facing a growing challenge from far-right candidate Volen Siderov. | Incumbent Georgi Parvanov - who negotiated Bulgaria's entry into the EU - is facing a growing challenge from far-right candidate Volen Siderov. |
| Mr Parvanov is said to be favourite to retain his post, but his supporters fear he may not win enough votes to avoid a run-off ballot next Sunday. | Mr Parvanov is said to be favourite to retain his post, but his supporters fear he may not win enough votes to avoid a run-off ballot next Sunday. |
| Mr Siderov, a flamboyant former TV host, has verbally attacked Bulgaria's Turkish and Roma minorities. | |
| The BBC's Oana Lungescu says he has also capitalised on public anger with conventional politicians for their perceived failure to tackle poverty, corruption and organised crime. | The BBC's Oana Lungescu says he has also capitalised on public anger with conventional politicians for their perceived failure to tackle poverty, corruption and organised crime. |
| Despite strong economic growth, Bulgaria will become the EU's poorest country once it joins, with half of its eight million people living under the poverty threshold. | Despite strong economic growth, Bulgaria will become the EU's poorest country once it joins, with half of its eight million people living under the poverty threshold. |
| The third main candidate, running for a group of centre-right parties, is a former judge in his 70s, Nedelcho Beronov. | The third main candidate, running for a group of centre-right parties, is a former judge in his 70s, Nedelcho Beronov. |
| Low turnout expected | Low turnout expected |
| Mr Parvanov, who is backed by the ruling socialist party, is credited with forming the centre-left coalition that has spearheaded Bulgaria's efforts to join the EU. | Mr Parvanov, who is backed by the ruling socialist party, is credited with forming the centre-left coalition that has spearheaded Bulgaria's efforts to join the EU. |
| A former historian, he has reshaped the hard-line communist party into the pro-Western socialists, ensured that Bulgaria joined Nato in 2004, and is on track to become a member of the EU next January. | A former historian, he has reshaped the hard-line communist party into the pro-Western socialists, ensured that Bulgaria joined Nato in 2004, and is on track to become a member of the EU next January. |
| Our correspondent says he remains one of Bulgaria's most popular politicians, but is facing a stronger challenge than expected from Mr Siderov, who has been compared to the French ultra-nationalist Jean-Marie Le Pen. | Our correspondent says he remains one of Bulgaria's most popular politicians, but is facing a stronger challenge than expected from Mr Siderov, who has been compared to the French ultra-nationalist Jean-Marie Le Pen. |
| She adds that with turnout expected to be low, the result is hard to predict. | She adds that with turnout expected to be low, the result is hard to predict. |
| The role of the Bulgarian president is largely ceremonial, although he heads the army and can veto any bill. | The role of the Bulgarian president is largely ceremonial, although he heads the army and can veto any bill. |
| The support of half of the electorate in the first round of voting is required for outright victory. | The support of half of the electorate in the first round of voting is required for outright victory. |