Ukraine’s presidential election is due to take place on May 25.

An opinion poll has indicated that Petro Poroshenko has a good chance of winning in the first round.

Poroshenko is endorsed by retired boxer Vitaly Klitschko and supported by 48.4 percent of decided voters, just short of the absolute majority needed to avoid a second-round runoff.

Vitaly Teslenko from the Ukrainian Voters Committee told euronews: “Poroshenko has the highest rating of people’s trust in all Ukrainian regions. The only exception are eastern regions Donetsk and Luhansk. The locals there haven’t decided who to support.”

Poroshenko backed the uprising that ousted president Viktor Yanukovyth in February and previously served as foreign minister and economy minister.

One man told euronews: “I think Poroshenko has a good chance of winning. He has quite good political record, and he is a good person.”

“I think he is likely to win,” said one woman. “He is moderate, clever and a successful businessman.”

The poll has former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko on 14 percent which would put her in second place with nearly twice as many votes as third-ranked contender Serhiy Tigipko.

A second round will be held three weeks later on June 15 if nobody wins more than 50 percent in the first.

The poll was taken by four agencies led by the SOCIS institute in Kyiv in all regions except Crimea.