Slavi Trifonov

Bulgaria's Central Election Commission (CEC) on April 6 announced the election results based 100% of the tally sheets processed. According to them, 6 parties and coalition enter the next Parliament.

And contrary to expectations, voter turnout was not lower than usual, despite the pandemic, with long queues reported, particularly at polling stations abroad. By Monday afternoon, with 80 per cent of the ballots processed by the Central Election Commission, the notion of an election that could mark the upending of the status quo dominated by the GERB-BSP rivalry had become a reality.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's centre-right party came first in the weekend's parliamentary elections, partial results showed Monday (5 April), but with protest parties surging it has no clear partner to form a governing coalition.

Borissov's GERB party, undermined by scandals and protests after nearly a decade in power, won just 26% of Sunday's vote.

Election results based on 99% of the tally sheets processed show that 6 Bulgarian parties will have seats in the next Parliament, data from the Central Election Commission.

Ruling GERB-UDF coalition has the largest share of votes in the April 4 parliamentary elections. It has received 26.14%.

Alpha Research pollster made public the first data from the distribution of the vote by education and age brackets.

Of those with university master or bachelor degree 26% voted for GERB; 18% for DB; 17% for There is such a people!; 13% for BSP; 5% for Stand up! Mafiosi out!; 4% for VMRO and 3% for MRF.

Bulgarians voted on Sunday (4 April) sending in Parliament three new political forces largely representing the anti-corruption protests during the summer. Boyko Borissov's GERB party remained the largest force, but appears unable to form a government.

PM Boyko Borissov casts his ballot in Sofia on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE/GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE.

The figures represent a significant fall in support for GERB from the last elections in 2017.

Parallel vote count at 100% by Alpha Research polling agency shows that Boyko Borrisov's GERB-Union of Democratic Forces coalition has won 25.2% share of the votes in Bulgaria's parliamentary elections, held on April 4.

The party of the TV presenter, Slavi Trifonov "There is Such a People" is second with 17.1%.

GERB's lead over the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has increased to just over 8 points. Near the end of the campaign for the April 4 parliamentary elections, GERB gets  28.1 per cent support among firm voters. The BSP remains in
second place with 19.8 per cent, but the data show a gradual ebb of supporters.

The election will pose a major test of the ruling coalition after much criticism and last year's mass protests against corruption, shrinking media freedoms and questionable populist moves, such as the decision to block North Macedonia's progress towards EU membership.