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Bulgaria 'set for stalemate as right denied majority in poll' | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party is set to win snap elections but will fall well short of an overall majority in parliament, exit polls suggest. | |
The party led by former PM Boyko Borisov is expected to win about 90 seats in the 240-seat chamber. | |
Main rivals the Socialists (BSP) and the ethnic-Turkish DPS party are likely to have 70-90 seats between them. | |
Bulgaria, the poorest country in the EU, has been hit by protests over low living standards and by a bank crisis. | |
Correspondents say that, with some four smaller parties expected to overcome the 4% threshold, a highly fragmented parliament will make forming a government even more difficult. | |
Reuters news agency quoted Mr Borisov as saying he could not see how a government could be formed but would hold internal party discussions on Monday to decide how to proceed. | |
Pipeline controversy | Pipeline controversy |
The snap election follows the resignation in July of the country's Socialist-led government. | |
The splits in ex-PM Plamen Oresharski's administration began to appear after the party's disastrous showing in the European Parliament elections in May. | |
However, the rift with DPS, the former junior partner in the coalition, was seen as the main reason for the cabinet's resignation. | However, the rift with DPS, the former junior partner in the coalition, was seen as the main reason for the cabinet's resignation. |
A controversy around the South Stream pipeline, meant to carry Russian gas to Western Europe via Bulgaria, also played a big part in the government's downfall. | A controversy around the South Stream pipeline, meant to carry Russian gas to Western Europe via Bulgaria, also played a big part in the government's downfall. |
Mr Oresharski was criticised for moving ahead with construction of the pipeline, a project frowned upon by Brussels for breaching EU rules. | Mr Oresharski was criticised for moving ahead with construction of the pipeline, a project frowned upon by Brussels for breaching EU rules. |
In June, shortly after the announcement that Bulgaria had stopped work on the project, the country witnessed a run on two of the country's largest banks that also heightened political uncertainty. | In June, shortly after the announcement that Bulgaria had stopped work on the project, the country witnessed a run on two of the country's largest banks that also heightened political uncertainty. |
One of them, the Corporate Commercial Bank (CCB), was closed after panicked customers withdrew millions on their deposits. | One of them, the Corporate Commercial Bank (CCB), was closed after panicked customers withdrew millions on their deposits. |