Narrow win for GERB

Official results released Monday from Bulgaria's central election commission indicated the center-right GERB party of ex-Prime Minister Boyko Borisov had achieved a winning margin in Sunday's election, but had not reached an absolute majority.

With three-quarters of the vote counted, GERB received around 32.5 percent of the votes. The socialist party BSP, which had led the minority government until this summer, was in second place with 15.3 percent. The Turkish minority party MRF had been coalition partners with BSP until snap elections were called and polled a close third with 15.2 percent of the vote. The election commission said MRF could overtake BSP by the time all votes are tallied.

The new government will replace that of Bulgaria's former prime minister, Plamen Oresharski of the BSP, who had formed a minority government with the MRF in 2013 after anti-poverty protests forced the resignation of center-right Prime Minister Borisov.

However, the regime change did little to assuage the ailing economy or to solve the political crisis in the eastern European country. This summer, Oresharski's government was forced to resign in the face of numerous no-confidence votes and losing the support of its coalition partner. His Socialist Party had also been weakened by a poor showing in the European Parliament elections in May.

Bulgaria is the poorest of the EU's 28 member states. It has been plagued by instability in recent years, with sluggish economic growth, a loss of investment, persistent deflation and rising unemployment.

mz/mg (dpa, Reuters)