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Bulgaria’s Borisov faces tough task after election win

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Bulgaria's comeback king Boyko Borisov faced an uphill battle on Monday to build a stable coalition government following an election victory that will see him crowned prime minister for a third time.

With nearly all votes counted, his pro-EU centre-right GERB party won Sunday's snap election in the European Union's poorest country with 32.6 percent of the ballot.

Official results showed GERB will hold 96 of 240 parliamentary seats -- 12 more than in the outgoing administration.

The burly Borisov, a former firefighter and bodyguard, saw off a stiff challenge from the Socialist Party (BSP) -- seen as closer to Moscow -- which garnered 27 percent and more than doubled their MPs to 79.

"I hope we can ensure the rapid formation of a government that responds to the wishes of the people and to the grave international situation," Borisov said late Sunday.

But whether the 57-year-old can form an effective government that stays the course, unlike his previous two attempts, remains to be seen.

He has already ruled out a coalition with all parties except with a group of nationalists, although they may not back his reform plans.

A woman casts her vote at a polling station during the country's parliamentary election in the ...
A woman casts her vote at a polling station during the country's parliamentary election in the village of Gabrovdol on March 26, 2017
Dimitar DILKOFF, AFP

Once a bodyguard for Bulgaria's last communist leader and its ex-king, Borisov has long dominated national politics in the southeastern European state, serving as premier from 2009 to 2013 and again from 2014 to 2017.

But both times he quit early, first in 2013 after mass protests and then last November after his candidate for the presidency was beaten by an air force commander backed by the BSP.

Bulgaria, where the average monthly salary is just 500 euros ($540) and corruption is rife even after 10 years in the EU, has now seen three elections in the past four years.

Borisov's reform efforts in office, in particular to meet Brussels' demands to tackle corruption and organised crime, failed to get off the ground.

In January Bulgaria takes up the rotating presidency of the EU, in the midst of negotiations with Britain on the terms of the latter's exit from the bloc.

- 'Second-class' -

A victory for the Socialists would have raised the prospect of a tilt toward Moscow in the NATO member state, home to 7.4 million people.

Russia, which has long had close cultural and economic ties with Bulgaria, has recently been accused of seeking to expand its influence in other Balkan countries.

PSB leader Kornelia Ninova had said she was not content with Bulgaria being a "second-class member" of the EU, and that she would veto an extension of sanctions imposed by Brussels on Moscow.

But Borisov, too, said during the campaign that he wanted more "pragmatic" ties with Russia and to revive contentious joint projects.

He also successfully portrayed himself as being able to preserve Bulgaria's status as an "island of stability" in an unstable Balkans region and amid tensions with neighbouring Turkey.

"Borisov had the wonderful idea of being reassuring, of adopting the role of unifier, of conciliator," said political analyst Haralan Alexandrov.

"Personally I am happy with the election results. It is important that the communists (Socialist party) will not be in power," restaurant owner Bozhidar Ivanov, 41, told AFP on Monday.

- 'Votes for sale' -

The scourge of graft loomed over the poll, with prosecutors launching multiple probes into electoral fraud and television channels alleging sales of votes for as little as 15 euros.

Voter apathy and disillusionment with the main parties were also widespread.

In the campaign, Borisov ruled out a tie-up with the centrist Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MDL) party representing Bulgaria's Turkish minority which came fourth with just over nine percent.

Potential partners include the third-placed United Patriots, also with just over nine percent, and Veselin Mareshki, a charismatic businessman who likes being called the Bulgarian Donald Trump.

Results have yet to confirm whether Mareshki's party, Volya ("Will"), has cleared the four-percent hurdle needed to gain seats in parliament.

Bulgaria’s comeback king Boyko Borisov faced an uphill battle on Monday to build a stable coalition government following an election victory that will see him crowned prime minister for a third time.

With nearly all votes counted, his pro-EU centre-right GERB party won Sunday’s snap election in the European Union’s poorest country with 32.6 percent of the ballot.

Official results showed GERB will hold 96 of 240 parliamentary seats — 12 more than in the outgoing administration.

The burly Borisov, a former firefighter and bodyguard, saw off a stiff challenge from the Socialist Party (BSP) — seen as closer to Moscow — which garnered 27 percent and more than doubled their MPs to 79.

“I hope we can ensure the rapid formation of a government that responds to the wishes of the people and to the grave international situation,” Borisov said late Sunday.

But whether the 57-year-old can form an effective government that stays the course, unlike his previous two attempts, remains to be seen.

He has already ruled out a coalition with all parties except with a group of nationalists, although they may not back his reform plans.

A woman casts her vote at a polling station during the country's parliamentary election in the ...

A woman casts her vote at a polling station during the country's parliamentary election in the village of Gabrovdol on March 26, 2017
Dimitar DILKOFF, AFP

Once a bodyguard for Bulgaria’s last communist leader and its ex-king, Borisov has long dominated national politics in the southeastern European state, serving as premier from 2009 to 2013 and again from 2014 to 2017.

But both times he quit early, first in 2013 after mass protests and then last November after his candidate for the presidency was beaten by an air force commander backed by the BSP.

Bulgaria, where the average monthly salary is just 500 euros ($540) and corruption is rife even after 10 years in the EU, has now seen three elections in the past four years.

Borisov’s reform efforts in office, in particular to meet Brussels’ demands to tackle corruption and organised crime, failed to get off the ground.

In January Bulgaria takes up the rotating presidency of the EU, in the midst of negotiations with Britain on the terms of the latter’s exit from the bloc.

– ‘Second-class’ –

A victory for the Socialists would have raised the prospect of a tilt toward Moscow in the NATO member state, home to 7.4 million people.

Russia, which has long had close cultural and economic ties with Bulgaria, has recently been accused of seeking to expand its influence in other Balkan countries.

PSB leader Kornelia Ninova had said she was not content with Bulgaria being a “second-class member” of the EU, and that she would veto an extension of sanctions imposed by Brussels on Moscow.

But Borisov, too, said during the campaign that he wanted more “pragmatic” ties with Russia and to revive contentious joint projects.

He also successfully portrayed himself as being able to preserve Bulgaria’s status as an “island of stability” in an unstable Balkans region and amid tensions with neighbouring Turkey.

“Borisov had the wonderful idea of being reassuring, of adopting the role of unifier, of conciliator,” said political analyst Haralan Alexandrov.

“Personally I am happy with the election results. It is important that the communists (Socialist party) will not be in power,” restaurant owner Bozhidar Ivanov, 41, told AFP on Monday.

– ‘Votes for sale’ –

The scourge of graft loomed over the poll, with prosecutors launching multiple probes into electoral fraud and television channels alleging sales of votes for as little as 15 euros.

Voter apathy and disillusionment with the main parties were also widespread.

In the campaign, Borisov ruled out a tie-up with the centrist Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MDL) party representing Bulgaria’s Turkish minority which came fourth with just over nine percent.

Potential partners include the third-placed United Patriots, also with just over nine percent, and Veselin Mareshki, a charismatic businessman who likes being called the Bulgarian Donald Trump.

Results have yet to confirm whether Mareshki’s party, Volya (“Will”), has cleared the four-percent hurdle needed to gain seats in parliament.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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