Bulgaria’s GERB Party Leads Election, Prepares for Coalition Talks

ulgaria’s center-right GERB party emerged as the frontrunner in Sunday’s parliamentary election, securing 26.4% of votes according to an Alpha Research exit poll. To establish a functioning government, GERB, led by Boyko Borissov, will need a coalition partner. Reformist party We Continue the Change (PP) followed with 14.9%, and the ultra-nationalist Revival party took third place with 12.9%.

This election marks Bulgaria’s seventh in just four years, triggered by a breakdown in coalition negotiations after the June 9 election. Borissov, thanking supporters, pledged to form a new government but ruled out working with Revival. GERB is projected to take 74 seats in the 240-seat parliament, while PP and Revival would secure 42 and 36 seats, respectively.

Former Prime Minister and PP member Nikolai Denkov emphasized the need for GERB to present a viable government proposal, highlighting the demand for stable governance to facilitate EU funding and Bulgaria’s bid to join the eurozone, slated for January 2025 but previously delayed due to inflation issues.

Amid ongoing political instability, some voters expressed concern over Bulgaria’s future. “What was expected, happened more or less … I think we are going to have more elections,” commented 60-year-old Vassil Vasilev.

Preliminary results from the state election commission are anticipated by 11 p.m. local time (2100 GMT).