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| Bulgaria leader wins second term | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has won a second five-year term in what appears to be a landslide victory. | |
| Preliminary results showed Mr Parvanov with more than 73% of the vote, while nationalist party rival Volen Siderov received just over 25%. | |
| Mr Parvanov, a former socialist leader who ran as an independent, will be the first president to be re-elected since Communism ended. | |
| He will now steer the country to EU membership in 2007. | |
| "It's a historic victory," Mr Parvanov said. He pledged to secure "dignified EU membership that sustains national identity". | |
| Mr Siderov, a former TV presenter, is from the nationalist party Attack. | Mr Siderov, a former TV presenter, is from the nationalist party Attack. |
| Mr Parvanov won the first round of voting two weeks ago, but a turnout of less than 50% forced a second round. | Mr Parvanov won the first round of voting two weeks ago, but a turnout of less than 50% forced a second round. |
| It was blamed on poverty among large segments of the population and unhappiness over the government's economic and social reforms. | It was blamed on poverty among large segments of the population and unhappiness over the government's economic and social reforms. |
| There is no minimum turnout in the second round, where 50% of votes are needed for victory. | There is no minimum turnout in the second round, where 50% of votes are needed for victory. |
| Mould-breaking | Mould-breaking |
| The presidency is largely a figurehead position - as power lies with the prime minister - but the post exerts a stabilising influence. | The presidency is largely a figurehead position - as power lies with the prime minister - but the post exerts a stabilising influence. |
| BBC Central Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe says the first round broke the traditional centre-left versus centre-right mould of Bulgarian politics. | BBC Central Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe says the first round broke the traditional centre-left versus centre-right mould of Bulgarian politics. |
| The centre-right candidate was relegated to a poor third - the climax of years of division between several parties and personalities - allowing ultra-nationalist Volen Siderov to emerge as Mr Parvanov's main challenger. | The centre-right candidate was relegated to a poor third - the climax of years of division between several parties and personalities - allowing ultra-nationalist Volen Siderov to emerge as Mr Parvanov's main challenger. |
| Mr Parvanov, 49, is respected for his efforts to raise Bulgaria's international profile ahead of Nato and EU membership. | Mr Parvanov, 49, is respected for his efforts to raise Bulgaria's international profile ahead of Nato and EU membership. |
| Although Mr Siderov, 50, said he did not oppose EU membership, he wanted some chapters of the accession agreement revised in Bulgaria's favour. | |
| He has campaigned on issues which also concern Brussels, like deep-seated corruption. | He has campaigned on issues which also concern Brussels, like deep-seated corruption. |
| "On 29 October we face the choice of letting the mafia rule us for five more years or eliminating it," Mr Siderov said on Friday. | "On 29 October we face the choice of letting the mafia rule us for five more years or eliminating it," Mr Siderov said on Friday. |
| He is also very critical of Bulgaria's large Turkish and Roma gypsy minorities. | He is also very critical of Bulgaria's large Turkish and Roma gypsy minorities. |
| Such policies have led to opponents describing Mr Siderov as a racist and xenophobe. | Such policies have led to opponents describing Mr Siderov as a racist and xenophobe. |
| Mr Parvanov has sought to address some of his opponents' arguments in his own campaign. | Mr Parvanov has sought to address some of his opponents' arguments in his own campaign. |
| "We need a patriotism which unites and does not divide the nation," he said in his final speech of the campaign. | |