GERB Struggles to Assemble Allies in Bulgaria

Boyko Borisov's GERB party is struggling to assemble a working majority in parliament after winning most votes in Bulgaria's general elections on October 5.

Rumen Yonchev, from Bulgaria without Censorship, said his centrist coalition will offer "preliminary support" to the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, GERB.

GERB has been holding talks all week with all the parties that made it into the National Assembly.

It failed to agree on a coalition deal with the right-wing Reformist Bloc, deemed its most natural ally, but did make a breakthrough with nationalist Patriotic Front, PF.

Despite their agreement, GERB and the Patriotic Front cannot form a government on their own, however since they fall short of a majority.

Together, they have 101 seats - but they need 121 out of the 240 seats in parliament to govern.

Bulgaria without Censorship, which had the sixth-biggest number of ballots cast in the elections, portrays itself as a centrist entity, but has frequently changed its ideology.

The party's leaders, Nikolay Barekov, decided earlier this week to retain his seat in the European Parliament and is currently not in Bulgaria.

GERB has also left the door open to a new meeting with Reformist Bloc representatives after all other parties have been contacted.