Centre-right GERB comes first in Bulgaria elections

Centre-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) won the Bulgarian parliamentary elections by a small margin as only four parties passed the 4% threshold in the elections that saw a record-low turnout rate of 51.3%. The results mean the two leading parties would need partners to form a majority coalition. GERB received 30.5% of the vote as leftist Coalition for Bulgaria (KB) was a close second with 26.6%. Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), with a Muslim-Turkish majority in its membership, got 11.2% as far-right nationalist Ataka (Attack) gained 7.3%. The announcement of the official results was delayed while the votes from abroad were counted, as DPS received 49.1%, GERB 20.4%, KB 4.4% and Ataka 2.7%. Forty five political parties and coalitions participated in the elections but no other than four were able to pass the threshold. According to the Bulgarian constitution, President Rosen Plevneliev is expected to give the mandate to form a government to GERB, which received the highest amount of votes.