Hello. I have one question for you?
I have applied for PhD position and was shortlisted for Skype interview. Interview went well and the Professor told me that he would inform me in a week how I was ranked. After seven days I got the answer that I was ranked as the 2nd and that the head of the department will decide which of the ranked candidates will get a PhD offer. He also wrote that head of the department most often offer position to the first recommended candidate (I was ranked as 2nd among 20 candidates), but if the agreement is not reached, the position goes to the 2nd candidate (me). Did any of you have a similar situation? What are the chances that the first candidate withdraws his application or does not negotiate PhD offer?

This is rare but does happen ie if the first student gets a PhD elsewhere and declines the offer.