Sofia, Jun. 14, (dpa/GNA) – Bulgaria’s pro-Western centre-right alliance Gerb-SDS clearly won the European elections, according to the official final results published by the Central Election Commission (ZIK) on Thursday.
The alliance headed by former prime minister Boiko Borissov won 23.55% of Sunday’s vote, making it the nation’s strongest political force.
The results mean the Gerb-SDS alliance, which co-governed Bulgaria until March, can send five MEPs to the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament.
The third-placed liberal-conservative alliance PP-DB, part of the government with Gerb-SDS until March won three seats, with 14.45% of the vote and may send one MEP to the EPP group in Brussels. It was not initially clear which group the two PP MEPs would belong to.
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), traditionally representing Bulgaria’s Turkish minority, unexpectedly came in second with 14.66%, and can send three MEPs.
The pro-Russian, EU-sceptic Vasrazhdane (Rebirth) party won 13.98% and will also send three MEPs to the European Parliament.
The Socialists (BSP), who are part of the Progressive Alliance of Social Democrats, won two seats in the European Parliament with 7.01%, according to the ZIK data.
The populist ITN (There is such a people) only won one seat in the European Parliament with 6.04% of the vote.
Like Vasrazhdane and the PP, the ITN is not yet part of any political group in the European Parliament and are entering the institution for the first time.
In total, Bulgaria has 17 seats in the European Parliament.
There were 720 seats up for grabs in the EU legislature in elections held continent-wide.
Bulgarians were among the many Europeans casting their ballots on Sunday.
In total, some 360 million people across the 27 EU member states were eligible to cast their ballots over four days.GNA