Bulgaria’s fifth general election in two years produced no clear winner, incomplete official results showed, likely extending a deadlock that has paralyzed politics and put at risk EU unity over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Former Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borissov’s GERB party won 26.3 percent, versus 24.9 percent for a bloc led by his arch-nemesis, former Bulgarian prime minister Kiril Petkov’s We Continue the Change party, official results of Sunday’s vote showed, with 72 percent of districts counted.
That contradicted an earlier exit poll that showed Petkov’s party had won by less than 1 percentage point and pre-election surveys showing Borissov would come in second.
Photo: EPA-EFE
As many as four other parties also made it into parliament. They included a pro-Russian party, Revival, which came in third after suggesting Bulgaria could abandon its membership in the EU and NATO, and organizing a referendum to stop its efforts to adopt the euro.
The country of 6.5 million, the EU’s poorest, is looking for a way out of years of political deadlock after a string of inconclusive votes gave no political force enough support to muster a ruling majority. If the deadlock continues, another snap ballot might happen later this year.
During the two years of short-lived governments, most power has been in the hands of interim Cabinets appointed by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.
A NATO-trained former fighter pilot and general who has represented Bulgaria at the EU level, Radev has taken pro-Moscow stances, including criticizing sanctions against Moscow as ineffective, saying that Crimea is Russian and labeling opponents who support arming Ukraine as warmongers.
“The big difficulties in forming a government remain unchanged,” Alpha Research managing partner Boryana Dimitrova told Bulgarian National Television.
The crisis has deepened the Balkan country’s isolation in the EU, postponed its goal to enter the euro area next year, and delayed EU recovery funding.
The deadlock has also blocked the process for a 2023 budget bill, and central bank Governor Dimitar Radev (no relation to the president) remains in his post two years after his term expired because parties cannot agree on a replacement.
The war in Ukraine less than 480km away across the Black Sea has only exacerbated the chaos, adding to economic hardship by fueling the fastest inflation this century, which in turn is spurring anti-establishment sentiment.
With the margin tight, Borissov and Petkov refrained from commenting on the tally after voting ended on Sunday and were expected to speak yesterday when more official numbers are known.
Whoever wins would be first to receive the government-forming mandate by Rumen Radev.
The projected distribution of mandates in the 240-seat parliament showed that either Borissov or Petkov would need the support of the other’s party or at least two other political forces. Because of ideological and personal differences, making such a match could prove impossible.
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