Politics of Bulgaria

Monitors OSCE broadly positive on Bulgaria election

Agence France-PresseMay 13, 2013 07:45

Monitoring body the OSCE Monday gave Bulgaria's elections an overall clean bill of health but said that incidents during the campaign had undermined trust in democratic institutions in the ex-communist country. The vote on Sunday was "held in a competitive environment, fundamental freedoms were respected, and the administration ... was well managed," the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said.

Uncertainty in Bulgaria after tense election

Agence France-PresseMay 13, 2013 06:00

Bulgaria faced fresh political uncertainty Monday after ex-premier Boyko Borisov fell way short of a majority in elections held three months after mass demonstrations forced his government to resign. After a tense campaign marked by allegations of vote-rigging, Borisov's conservative GERB party came first with 30.71 percent of the vote, according to official results with 96 percent of ballots counted.

Bulgaria election sets up stalemate, fresh protests

Agence France-PresseMay 12, 2013 16:15

Bulgarian ousted premier Boyko Borisov's party came first in tense elections Sunday but fell short of a majority, exit polls showed, setting the scene for political stalemate and fresh protests. Three months after the biggest demonstrations in years prompted the former bodyguard to tender his government's resignation, Borisov's GERB party won between 30.4 and 34 percent of the vote, the exit polls showed.

Borisov secures slim victory in Bulgaria election

Agence France-PresseMay 12, 2013 14:00

Bulgarian ousted premier Boyko Borisov's party came first in tense elections Sunday but fell short of a majority, exit polls showed, setting the scene for political stalemate and fresh protests. Three months after the biggest demonstrations in years prompted the former bodyguard to tender his government's resignation, Borisov's GERB party won between 30.3 and 33 percent of the vote, the exit polls showed.

Anger, apathy and distrust as Bulgaria votes

Agence France-PresseMay 12, 2013 10:45

Bulgarian pensioner Stefka Popova takes a dim view of the politicians running for office in elections Sunday in the EU's poorest member state. "I won't vote. They've lost all respect for their own people," the retired metallurgy worker told AFP as she sold newspapers in Sofia to supplement her meagre pension. Her anger was exacerbated by the discovery on Saturday of 350,000 illegal ballot papers at a printing firm whose owner is reportedly close to the former prime minister's party.

Tense, tight election in EU's poorest country Bulgaria

Agence France-PresseMay 12, 2013 10:15

Bulgarians voted Sunday in a close snap general election marred by accusations of vote-rigging and expected to result in a political stalemate and fresh protests in the EU's poorest member. Despite its ouster by mass protests just three months ago, the conservative party of former bodyguard ex-premier Boyko Borisov, promising stability and infrastructure development, was tipped to win the most votes.

Rightist GERB holds lead in Bulgaria's election

Thomson ReutersMay 11, 2013 21:30

By Tsvetelia Tsolova and Sam Cage SOFIA (Reuters) - The rightist GERB party held the lead in Bulgaria's election on Sunday but its prospects of forming another government, after the last one was ousted by protests, looked uncertain after its potential partner ruled out a deal. Turnout was the lowest in post-communist history, at around 53 percent, reflecting the disaffection with the political elite in a country where unemployment is close to an eight-year high.

Final polls predict tight Bulgarian election

Agence France-PresseMay 11, 2013 18:19

Bulgaria's main parties are headed for a close race in Sunday's elections, final polls suggested Friday as analysts predicted a hung parliament and fresh protests in the EU's poorest country. According to eight new opinion surveys, former bodyguard ex-premier Boyko Borisov's GERB party is forecast to be the top vote-getter, only three months after resigning amid Bulgaria's biggest unrest in years.

Deadlock looms for Bulgaria as election nears

Thomson ReutersMay 10, 2013 18:00

By Sam Cage VELIKO TARNOVO, Bulgaria (Reuters) - Bulgaria's two main political parties made final pitches to frustrated voters before an election on Sunday that opinion polls show is unlikely to produce a decisive outcome for either side. Former bodyguard Boiko Borisov's center-right GERB party was forced to resign in February after thousands of people took to the streets to protest against high utility bills, entrenched corruption and low living standards.

Deadlock, instability loom after Bulgaria election

Agence France-PresseMay 6, 2013 22:30

A winter of discontent in Bulgaria, when mass protests forced out the government, could give way to a spring of political deadlock and instability after elections Sunday in the EU's poorest country. The outcome is expected to be a fragmented parliament full of many of the same politicians who have run Bulgaria since the end of communism two decades ago. Voters are stuck in a blind alley, facing a "choice between the same parties they protested against this winter", Ivan Krastev from the Centre for Liberal Strategies think-tank said.