Some 6.6 million citizens with the right to vote are called this Sunday to the polls in Bulgaria, for the fourth time in 18 months, to elect a new Parliament, although with little indication that the result of the elections will facilitate the formation of a government.
The more than 11,000 polling stations opened their doors at 7:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and will close at 20:00 local time, when the first results of projections and exit polls are expected.
Voters will be able choose from 23 parties and 6 alliances to form the new 240-seat Parliament.
Surveys predict that between six and eight formations will exceed the 4% threshold to enter the Chamberwithout any obtaining a majority, once again making the formation of an Executive almost impossible.
The conservative party GERB of the populist Boyko Borisov, three times prime minister between 2009 and 2021, is the favorite with a voting intention of around 25%.
Behind Borisov, indicate the latest polls, is the party “Let’s Continue the Change”of the reformist and pro-European former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, with 16%.
The other parties will be between 4 and 12% of the votesmaking coalition formation especially difficult in the face of great political tension.
Surveys forecast a record abstentionwhich could reach close to 50%.