Bulgaria said Wednesday it was switching its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to European Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate to replace Ban Ki-moon as UN secretary-general next year.

"We think it will be a more successful candidacy," Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said ahead of a government meeting. Bokova failed to make a strong showing in a informal vote by the 15-member council this week.