Bulgarians voted today in a high-stakes presidential run-off that could see centre-right Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's government fall if his handpicked candidate fails to defeat a Socialist-backed general.
The tough-talking premier has vowed to throw in the towel if his pro-EU protegee, parliamentary speaker Tsetska Tsacheva, loses to former airforce chief Rumen Radev, seen as friendly to Moscow.
A political novice, the 53-year-old fighter pilot stunned pollsters by sweeping 25.44 per cent of the vote to Tsacheva's 21.96 per cent in the first round of the election on November 6.
The latest polls show Radev is still the favourite as voters seek to punish the government over its perceived failure to tackle rampant corruption and poverty in the European Union's poorest member state.
Observers say the general's victory might tilt ex-communist and Soviet ally Bulgaria, which has long walked a tightrope between Moscow and Brussels, towards Russia's orbit -- a trend seen across eastern and central Europe amid rising euroscepticism.
Nearby Moldova also looked set to elect a pro-Russian president today.
Tsacheva, 58, has vowed to keep Bulgaria on a pro-European path and accused her rival of being a "red general".
But lacking charisma she has not inspired voters, in an embarrassing setback for the popular Borisov who became prime minister for the second time in 2014.
"Maybe I should have thought better when I staked the government's fate on my choice... I was wrong and I will take full responsibility," the burly ex-police chief said on Wednesday.
However, today's outcome could still be swayed with support from those who had voted for other first-round candidates, observers said.
The Bulgarian president's role is largely ceremonial but he or she - Tsacheva would be the first woman in the position - is nonetheless a respected figure and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Polling stations opened at 0500 GMT and will close at 1800 GMT, with first projections expected shortly afterwards.
If Tsacheva loses, Borisov could announce his resignation on today evening.
Fresh elections are likely to plunge Bulgaria into renewed turmoil.
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