GERB’s candidate Rosen Plevneliev won 40 percent of the vote in last week’s first round after a campaign blighted by rallies against the Roma minority and corruption, highlighting problems facing the European Union’s poorest state.

“I voted for Plevneliev, so that he can revamp the country and we can live a better life,” said Galia Yordanova, 74.

Plevneliev, 47, previously manager of a major building company is widely expected to beat Socialist Ivailo Kalfin.

A win for the former construction minister would remove the possibility of government-initiated legislation or appointments being vetoed by Socialist president Georgi Parvanov who has often criticized the cabinet.

“The cause in this election is very strong and important — speeding up Bulgaria’s development,” Plevneliev said after casting his ballot, as quoted by GERB in a statement.

Analysts say Prime Minister Boiko Borisov is unlikely to risk potentially unpopular overhauls of areas such as health care and pensions but will focus on keeping tight fiscal discipline and carrying on with large-scale infrastructure improvement.

He will also be keen to demonstrate Bulgaria’s progress by ensuring it joins the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone, from which it has been blocked due to corruption concerns, before the 2013 election.

If elected, Plevneliev plans to set up councils to monitor economic policy, as well as much-needed reform of the justice system.

“Plevneliev has a clear idea of what to do and how to do it,” said teacher Yanka Georgieva, 49. “He’s a successful businessman, a successful politician and it’s time to be a successful president.”

In the first round, GERB’s support was barely changed from the 2009 parliamentary election despite its unfinished struggle to put the recession-hit economy back on its feet and tackle unemployment and widespread graft.

The Socialists fared better than in recent opinion polls, indicating they are rebounding from a crushing defeat in 2009 and will most likely be GERB’s main general election challenger.

The nationalist Attack party failed to benefit from nationwide anti-Roma protests and polled just 4 percent.