In the upcoming second round of local elections on November 5, several key Bulgarian cities, including Sofia, Varna, and Pleven, are gearing up for a fiercely contested battle, according to data from the Central Election Commission (CEC) following the first round on October 29.

In these cities, the margins between the leading candidates are razor-thin, making the outcomes of the elections highly uncertain.

In the capital city of Sofia, Vasil Terziev of "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" secured a first-round victory over Vanya Grigorova of BSP, but he remains isolated in terms of political support. The difference between them is less than 40,000 votes, with Grigorova holding a broader electoral base. GERB leader Boyko Borissov initially hinted at supporting the left-leaning candidate but later dismissed his comments as a "joke."

The ruling parliamentary majority's two factions, GERB and "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria," will go head to head in a total of five regional cities in the runoff.

Varna is expected to host the most fiercely contested race, where incumbent mayor Ivan Portnich leads "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" candidate Blagomir Kotsev by a mere 5,000 votes. Kotsev is banking on the protest vote against the long-standing Portnich, and discussions have been held with BSP and the newly formed "Citizens' Alternative" coalition to bolster support against the incumbent.

In Blagoevgrad, the margin between current mayor Ilko Stoyanov, backed by GERB, and "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" candidate Metodi Baikushev is similarly tight, with a difference of just 1,835 votes.

Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, and Haskovo have candidates from GERB with comfortable leads, making surprises unlikely.

Pleven is on the edge, with a mere 455-vote difference between Valentin Hristov (GERB) and Georgi Spartanski (nominated by an initiative committee). The votes that went to independent Chavdar Popov in the first round may prove decisive.

Razgrad, Shumen, and Smolyan also offer intrigue. In Razgrad, "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" candidate Miroslav Grncharov holds a 5% lead over BSP-backed Dobrin Dobrev. In Shumen, Hristo Hristov from BSP leads Georgi Kolev (GERB) by a similar margin, while in Smolyan, incumbent mayor Nikolay Melemov leads Stefan Sabrutev from the "Movement of Our City."

The Pazardzhik runoff is shrouded in uncertainty, with Petar Kulenski ("We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria") challenging the long-standing mayor Todor Popov, supported by GERB. Popov enters the runoff with a significant lead, but a group of seven first-round candidates has united and called on their supporters to back Kulenski.

As the second round looms, these tightly contested races promise a thrilling showdown in Bulgarian regional politics.