Sofia incumbent mayor Boyko Borisov won re-election by a landslide on Sunday, the data from exit polls released after voting precincts closed at 7 pm showed.

Borissov, who describes himself as centre-right, has secured 52,6% of the vote, according to the exit poll carried out by Sova Harris, seeing off the challenge from rightist Martin Zaimov, who got 19,6%, and Socialist Brigo Asparuhov, who came in third with 13,2%.

Pollsters Alfa Research gave Borissov, whose high public approval ratings go back to the time when he was the country's top cop, a total 52%. Former deputy central bank governor Zaimov follows with 18,2%, while Bulgaria's former top spy Asparuhov is next with 15,1%.

The exit polls by Gallup gave Borissov 53,1%, Zaimov - 19,4% and Asparuhov - 13,6%.

Borissov's GERB party, which he founded last year, is expected to have the biggest number of representatives in the capital's 61-seat municipal council, winning an estimated 45%, according to the National Centre for Public Opinion Research.

The alliance of rightist Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), which backed Zaimov, has won 18,1%, according to the exit polls, while the Socialists got 15%.

Nationalist Ataka party nominee Slavi Binev came in fourth with 4-5%, while ex-king Simeon Saxe-Couburg's NMSP candidate Antonia Parvanova won 3-4%, according to the exit polls.

Turnout in the capital was reported at 30,1% at 5 pm, two hours before polling stations closed.

Borissov, a former bodyguard to communist dictator Todor Zhivkov, was appointed secretary-general of the Interior Ministry in 2001 after ex-king Simeon Saxe-Coburg won the parliamentary elections and took charge of the cabinet.

He has immediately won numerous supporters with his direct and uncompromising style, as well as his tough stance on organised crime, but his opponents accuse him of being too brash and lacking expertise.

Borissov took over from long-serving mayor Stefan Sofianski two years ago, having won the by-election called when Sofianski decided to make the step up and become an MP after ten years at the helm of the city.

Borissov failed to deal with some of the city's biggest problems, such as garbage collection or congested traffic, for which he blamed the constant skirmishes with his municipal council, where the Socialists have a majority of seats and the mayor himself barely any support.

Even though that stands to change with GERB poised to win a plurality of seats, Borissov has repeatedly hinted he sought to knock the Socialists out of power and has not committed himself to seeing out his second term.

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