Voters in Bulgaria head to the polls for their sixth election in three years to select a new parliament.

Voters in Bulgaria head to the polls for their sixth election in three years to select a new parliament.

"We're sick of elections and want some stability and prosperity in our nation," stated the 72-year-old pensioner Margarita Semerdshiewa in front of a voting station in Sofia, reflecting the thoughts of many others. Office hours were predicted to be low in this southeastern EU country. Immediately after the stations shut at 20:00 local time (19:00 CEST), the results of exit polls were to be released.

A study by the Open Society Institute indicated that 49% of Bulgarians desired a "strong leader" at the management of their nation. Borissov was attempting to embody this role as a former fireman and bodyguard.

Throughout the campaign, the 64-year-old had promised to create a coalition to end the ongoing political instability. As a potential partner for this endeavor, the Party of the Turkish Minority DPS had revealed interest, receiving around 15% of the vote according to surveys.

If the parties failed to form a government post-election, new elections could occur in the fall - a prospects that experts think very much possible. In this state of affairs, reforms which are necessary for the discharge of EU funds and Bulgaria's complete enrollment in the Schengen Area would be postponed further.

"I selected Bulgaria to return to stability and for its voice to be heard," said Borissov following his scan. His conservative GERB party was most recently polling around 25% in the latest surveys.

The governing liberal reform alliance PP-DP, with whom the conservatives had formerly formed a coalition following the previous vote last year, suffered immense losses and was polling at roughly 15% in the surveys. This level of votes could also support the pro-Russian nationalist party Vasradschdane (Revival).

Bulgaria has been in a political crisis for some time. Numerous elections have resulted in fragmented parliaments, where no party could establish a functional administration. The GERB party had controlled Bulgaria nearly uninterrupted since 2011, but was increasingly isolated following extreme corruption accusations in 2020.

The PP-DP had teamed up with the GERB most recently. For instance, the two parties agreed that traditionally Russia-friendly Bulgaria would support Ukraine in its defense against the Russian assault. Nevertheless, in April, following just nine months of cooperation, PP-DP and GERB collided over an essential legal reform and additional reform propositions.

The election competition was tainted by Russian propaganda and disinformation. Based on a study from a think-tank in Sofia, close to 40% of Bulgarians had disseminated false information. Almost 70% of them believed in conspiracy theories.

Read also:

1. Despite expressing their dissatisfaction with frequent elections, Bulgarians were once again called to the ballot on Sunday, casting their votes for a new Parliament.
2. In the heart of Sofia, pensioner Margarita Semerdshiewa voiced her frustration, echoing the sentiments of many Bulgarians seeking stability and prosperity after six election cycles in three years.
3. A survey conducted by the Open Society Institute revealed that a significant 49% of Bulgarians preferred a powerful leader at the helm of their nation, a role Borissov, the former fireman and bodyguard, seemed intent on fulfilling.
4. As potential partners in forming a coalition to end the country's political instability, the GERB party, led by Borissov, and the Party of the Turkish Minority DPS had expressed mutual interest.
5. In the event that no majority government was formed following the election, new elections could materialize in the fall, causing further delays in implementing necessary reforms to access EU funds and complete Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen Area.
6. Bulgaria's election campaign was fraught with Russian propaganda and disinformation, with a Sofia-based think-tank reporting that nearly 40% of Bulgarians had unwittingly fallen victim to false information, further perpetuating conspiracy theories.
7. As the partner of choice for the GERB party, the Party of the Turkish Minority DPS was projected to garner around 15% of the votes, potentially supporting the pro-Russian nationalist Vasradschdane (Revival) party.

• Shift in appetite for dairy: From cultural norms to moral conversations
• This will change in December
• Dikes withstand water masses so far - Scholz holds out the prospect of help
• Fireworks and parties ring in 2024 - turn of the year overshadowed by conflicts