In Bulgaria, the pro-Western bourgeois GERB won the early parliamentary elections. The opposition party of ex-Prime Minister Boyko Borissov received 25.37 percent of the votes, according to the official interim result after counting 99.4 percent of the ballot papers.
The last governing liberal PP (We are continuing the change) of ex-Prime Minister Kiril Petkov came in second with 20.21 percent. Final results are not expected until later this week. According to the information, seven parties have cleared the four percent hurdle for the time being.
Only about one in three eligible voters voted in the parliamentary elections
Among them is again the pro-Russian and nationalist Vazrashdane (Rebirth). The smallest party in the previous parliament is now likely to rise to fourth place with 10.17 percent – it would be ahead of the Socialists who have co-ruled up to now (9.32 percent). The formerly co-governing conservative-liberal-green alliance Democratic Bulgaria (DB) is said to have 7.46 percent. The new Bulgarian Upswing (BW) party led by ex-Defense Minister Stefan Janew also entered the Sofia parliament with 4.64 percent.
Difficult government formation
In view of the unclear majority situation, the formation of a new government is likely to be difficult. Ex-Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who admitted defeat, again ruled out a grand coalition with GERB on election night. Borisov, on the other hand, was open to talks with “all parties”.
There is no clear majority in the fragmented parliament (archive image)
The Bulgarians elected a new parliament on Sunday for the fourth time in 18 months. In June, Petkov’s government was overthrown by a vote of no confidence after just seven months in office. A transitional cabinet of technocrats has been running the official business ever since.
According to polling institute Gallup International Balkans, voter turnout was just over 35 percent shortly before the polls closed.
The election campaign in the poorest EU member state was dominated by the Ukraine war and uncertain gas supplies. Bulgaria is historically and culturally closely linked to Moscow. The invasion of Ukraine has caused deep divisions in the country of 6.5 million people. While Borissov tries not to jeopardize relations with the EU, Russia and Turkey, Petkov took a clear pro-European stance during the election campaign.
jj/kle/fab (dpa, afp, rtr)
