Bulgarians vote in high-stakes election

Bulgarians are voting in an election on Sunday that many hope will put an end to the political impasse that has long dogged the country.

The snap vote follows the resignation of a conservative-led government amid nationwide anti-corruption protests last December.

Bulgaria, the EU's poorest member, has been gripped by a political crisis since 2021, when the conservative government of Boyko Borrissov was toppled, also amid anti-corruption rallies.

Will Sunday's election end Bulgaria's political paralysis?

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Who are the contenders in Bulgaria's election?

A newly forced center-left grouping under former President Rumen Radev, Progressive Bulgaria, is being seen as likely to win Sunday's vote, with opinion polls suggesting it could receive 35% support.

Radev, a former air force general who was president of Bulgaria for nine years before stepping down in January to take part in the election, has pledged to combat what he calls the "oligarchic governance model" in the country.

He has also advocated for Bulgaria to renew ties with Russia, while being critical of the sending of military aid to Ukraine as it fights the ongoing invasion by Moscow's troops.

He has, nonetheless, officially denounced Russia's invasion and said he would not use his country's veto to block EU aid to Kyiv if elected.

Radev also opposes the EU's green energy policy, which he considers naive "in a world without rules."

Opinion polls show that Borissov's pro-European GERB party, which led the last government, is likely to come second, with around 20 %, ahead of the liberal PP-DB.

Borissov, who has served three terms as prime minister, has highlighted his GERB party's record, saying it had "fulfilled the dreams of the 1990s," among other things by having Bulgaria join the eurozone this year.

High turnout expected in Bulgaria

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and will close at 8 p.m local time (1700 GMT), with a high turnout expected in the Balkan country of some of 6.5 million following just 39% participation at 2024 election.

 Preliminary results are expected on Monday.

 Bulgaria is a European Union and NATO member country. It joined the eurozone on January 1, shortly after entering the border-free Schengen travel area.

Bulgaria's big currency gamble

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Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah