A coalition linked to former Bulgarian president Rumen Radev widened its lead in Bulgaria’s parliamentary election on Sunday, while a parallel count suggested the next legislature could be made up of five parties rather than six.
With 65% of ballots counted in a parallel tally by polling agency Myara, Progressive Bulgaria was on 44.4% of the vote, well ahead of GERB-SDS with 11.8% and PP-DB with 11.0%.
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) was on 8.4%, while nationalist party Vazrazhdane stood at 4.1%, just above the 4% threshold required to enter parliament.
The Bulgarian Socialist Party, running as BSP-United Left, fell below the threshold at 3.1%, according to the same tally, in a shift from earlier exit polls that had projected six parties entering the 240-seat parliament.
Other parties remained below the threshold, including MECH on 3.4%, Velichie on 3.1%, Alliance for Rights and Freedoms on 3.1%, Siyaniye on 3.0%, There Is Such a People on 0.8% and Blue Bulgaria on 0.5%.
Seat projections based on the partial parallel count gave Progressive Bulgaria 134 seats, ahead of GERB-SDS with 36, PP-DB with 33, DPS with 25 and Vazrazhdane with 12.
Voter turnout by 8 p.m. was estimated at 46.2%.
In London, voting at the busy Palmers Green polling station was extended by one hour, and additional machine ballot rolls were delivered, Bulgarian National Television reported.
Elsewhere, election authorities said voting ended in the Ruse region at 8:30 p.m. Police said seven new reports had been received during the day, while prosecutors were handling two new case files that had not yet become formal investigations.
In Pernik region, officials said there had been no need to extend voting hours at any polling station. Turnout there stood at 38.44% by 4 p.m.
Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov thanked supporters in a social media post and said his party would continue to fight for what he called a “free and independent Bulgaria” regardless of the final result.
Official results are expected later.