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Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev has said he insisted on Sunday evening that the cabinet step down after results of the presidential elections were announced.

Donchev has told NOVA TV that his boss, Boyko Borisov, should have kept his own promise and deposited his resignation as the candidate nominated by his GERB party finished with the second-best result.

The Reformist Bloc (RB) coalition will back the main ruling party's nominee in the runoff of presidential elections in Bulgaria, RB co-chair Bozhidar Lukarski has said.

His move may open a rift may open in the junior partner of Bulgaria's minority coalition government as one of the parties in the alliance mulls leaving.

Bulgaria's second-largest opposition party DPS has said it throws its support behind the socialist-backed candidate in the presidential elections.

Rumen Radev has emerged as a winner of the first round, defeating Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's candidate Tsetska Tsacheva.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said his GERB party will quit the government if his party's candidate in the presidential election loses the second round on November 13.

Rumen Radev, the socialist-backed candidate, is on the lead in the first round of Bulgaria's presidential elections, exit poll data shows.

Gallup Internatioinal has projected 24.9% support for Radev, while the candidate of the main ruling GERB party, Tsetska Tsacheva, has ranked second, having mustered 22%.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has said he will only step down if his party's candidate loses the runoff of the presidential election.

GERB's nominee, Tsetska Tsacheva, has come second in the first round.

Bulgarians said no to apathy and voted for change, Rumen Radev, the main opposition party's presidential candidate has said.

Radev has earned the best result in the vote held on Sunday, with the ruling GERB party's candidate Tsetska Tsacheva lagging behind.

The junior ally in Bulgaria's minority coalition government will fully stand behind Tsetska Tsacheva, the main ruling party candidate, in the presidential election runoff, one of its co-chairs has said.

A decision has been taken by the Reformist Bloc (RB) coalition to back GERB's candidate, Bozhidar Lukarski has told public broadcaster BNT.

Bulgaria's main ruling party GERB is yet to take a stance on exit poll data which gives a narrow-to-clear lead of opposition-backed candidate Rumen Radev.

Polls have closed in the race that began at 07:00 local time (EET) and was extended to 21:00, an hour behind schedule.

Both frontrunners in Bulgaria's presidential race support NATO, but also want Moscow and Sofia to have closer ties, Politico has said.

"Russia is the dominant topic" in the race, a report on the election reads, also calling the list of presidential contenders "an eclectic mix of 21 candidates in the race to succeed Rosen Plevneliev."