In Bulgaria new conservative success, but government problems

by Atanas Tsenov (ANSA) - SOFIA, OCT 28 - In Bulgaria, the Gerb conservatives, the party of former premier Boyko Borissov, again won today's early elections, their seventh in three years, although they once again appear to lack a sufficient majority to govern.
    Indeed, from the first results released by exit polls, new difficulties are looming for the formation of a stable government, with a Parliament that remains highly fragmented.
    Many analysts and observers believe that today's vote has by no means resolved the now chronic political crisis in Bulgaria.
    Predictions of a clear victory for the Gerb, whose leader Borissov previously ruled Bulgaria for nearly a decade, are confirmed. According to Gallup exit polls, the Gerb would garner 25.2 percent of the vote, distancing by about 10 percentage points the second political force, the liberal party 'Let's Continue the Change' (Pp, 15.7 percent of the vote), on the crest of a wave in past years as the Gerb's main antagonist.
    Advancing is the nationalist Vazrazhdane ('Rebirth') party, which, from fourth force in the previous June elections, would now rank third with 14.1 percent of the vote. It is followed by six other political formations-including Socialists, Turkish Minority, and Populists-whose percentages range between 8 percent and 4 percent of the vote, the threshold to pass to enter parliament. Numbers in hand, Bulgarians are sending virtually the same political forces to Parliament as in the previous legislation although with different numbers of seats and with the addition of two small new populist parties: 'Velicie' ('Greatness') and 'Mec' (an acronym for 'Morality, Unity, Honor'). Borissov's Gerb has regularly won several early parliamentary elections but has never managed to form a stable government. "We will make every compromise to have a stable government this time," Borissov promised during the election campaign. There is a glimpse in these words of his intention to form a Euro-Atlantic coalition, even resorting to his opponents such as the liberals of the Pp, the populists of the Itn ('There is a people like this') and, why not, even the socialists, whatever it takes. Considering that Bulgaria represents a strategic country on NATO's eastern flank, any executive loyal to the Alliance would do, several observers note. Very low, reflecting the growing distrust of voters in politics and a tiredness of continuous elections, was the turnout today, which, according to exit polls from various agencies, hovers between 33 percent and 38 percent of voters, not far from the 34 percent of the vote last June, an all-time low since the fall of communism in the Balkan country. (ANSA).