Party of Bulgaria's former premier leading in snap vote: Exit poll

By Ihvan Radoykov

SOFIA (AA) - As ballot boxes closed at the end of Bulgaria's early general elections on Sunday, the party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov appeared poised to take first place, according to unofficial results.

According to the preliminary results based on exit polls announced by the Alpha Research agency, Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), will have the most seats in parliament with 25.5% of the vote. GERB is led by Borissov, who served as prime minister for more than a decade until 2021.

Following GERB, the We Continue the Change (PP) party took second place with 19.9% of votes.

With the vast support it enjoys from among the country's Turk and Muslim community, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms became third-largest party in the Bulgarian parliament.

Voter turnout was roughly 35% in the snap elections.

Bulgaria went to the polls on Sunday for early general elections for the fourth time in less than two years.

The snap elections were held after the third and final attempt to form a government in the country failed this summer.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) was given a mandate on July 18 to form a government and officially returned it to President Rumen Radev.

Bulgaria has been marred by political instability since Prime Minister Kiril Petkov's government collapsed in a no-confidence vote in June.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan