LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - Slovenian President Borut Pahor, former head of the center-left Social Democrats and a one-time prime minister, is likely to win a second five-year mandate in an election on Oct. 22, a poll published by the Delo newspaper on Monday showed.

Pahor is forecast to get 37.2 percent of the vote, according to polling agency Episcenter, followed by Kamnik city mayor Marjan Sarec, who plans to run as an independent, with 23.1 percent.

Ljudmila Novak, head of the conservative New Slovenia party, is seen coming third on 10.6 percent.

If no candidate obtains over 50 percent of the vote, the top two will go into a second round to be held on Nov. 12.

Although the presidency is mostly ceremonial, the incumbent also heads the Slovenian army and nominates various top officials including the central bank governor, whose nomination then has to be confirmed by parliament.

Pahor was Slovenia’s prime minister from 2008 to 2012. The Social Democrats, which he formerly headed, are now a junior party in the government coalition.

The election will test the popularity of political parties ahead of a general election due in the middle of next year.