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Bulgaria leader wins second term Bulgaria leader wins second term
(1 day later)
Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has won a second five-year term in what appears to be a landslide victory. Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has won a second five-year term, beating a nationalist opponent with a landslide victory in the run-up to EU membership.
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, took 76% of the votes in Sunday's election, while Attack party leader Volen Siderov got 24%.
Mr Parvanov, a former socialist leader who ran as an independent, will be the first president to be re-elected since Communism ended. The presidency is mainly ceremonial, as the prime minister wields most power.
He will now steer the country to EU membership in 2007. Voter turnout was just 41% - a sign of widespread anger with the political elite, a BBC correspondent says.
"It's a historic victory," Mr Parvanov said. He pledged to secure "dignified EU membership that sustains national identity". Mr Parvanov, 49, now leads an awkward coalition with the mainly Turkish Movement of Rights and Freedoms and the party of the former King Simeon.
Mr Siderov, a former TV presenter, is from the nationalist party Attack. Nationalists gain ground
President Parvanov has been credited with keeping the country on the reform path necessary to satisfy the EU.
But his nationalist opponent Volen Siderov has been considerably strengthened by this result, the BBC's Nick Thorpe says.
If EU membership proves as painful for some parts of society in Bulgaria as it has in other new members, the far right could make further gains, he adds.
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. The first round broke the traditional centre-left versus centre-right mould of Bulgarian politics.
There is no minimum turnout in the second round, where 50% of votes are needed for victory. The centre-right candidate was relegated to a poor third - the climax of years of division between several parties and personalities - allowing Mr Siderov to emerge as Mr Parvanov's main challenger.
Mould-breaking Mr Parvanov is respected for his efforts to raise Bulgaria's international profile ahead of Nato and EU membership.
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.
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.
Although Mr Siderov, 50, said he did not oppose EU membership, he wanted some chapters of the accession agreement revised in Bulgaria's favour.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 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. "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.
"We need a patriotism which unites and does not divide the nation," he said in his final speech of the campaign.