Bulgaria's Presidential Hopefuls: Meet the Odd Ones Out (Part 1)

There are as many as twenty-one presidential pairs running the forthcoming elections in Bulgaria, all competing to take over the office of President.

While a head of state does not enjoy too many powers, but virtually serving as a broker between institutions and a key stakeholder in shaping the country's agenda and vision, being able to call consultations, veto bills, and make key appointments.

Novinite has so far given detailed information only about five of the candidates - those either considered front-runners or being somewhat linked to the governing coalition. We have also adhere to data from the first poll published in October which gave an edge to those candidates. These include Tsetska Tsacheva (GERB), Rumen Radev (BSP), Krasimir Karakachanov (backed by nationalist parties), Ivaylo Kalfin (ABV), Traycho Traykov (Reformist Bloc) and Tatyana Doncheva (Movement 21).

Going down the list, the apparent "losers" should not be underestimated, though, as some of them are either being suspected as puppets of other parties that will "drain" votes in the first round or - what is worse - have openly indicated they will not be voting for themselves. Some just have a background that could easily raise eyebrows. 

Take Plamen Oresharski, who in just a day - on June 14, 2013 - turned into one of the most controversial Bulgarian politicians of recent years. It was under his 14-month tenure that that Delyan Peevski, a controversial lawmaker of DPS party and media mogul, as head of Bulgaria's counter-intelligence agency DANS, underlining connections between politicians and vested business interests and opening the floodgates of Bulgaria's most widespread protests since the mid-1990s. His term is also associated...