The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) was experiencing a sharp drop in support and could lose three of its five seats in the European Parliament, Euractiv reported.
A new Alpha Research nationwide poll released on May 9 also found that the number of MEPs for the conservative GERB and the Turkish minority party DPS would remain unchanged.
In 2019, the Socialists were the second largest political force in the country with 24.2% of the vote, winning five of Bulgaria’s 17 MEP seats. Now the BSP is in decline due to numerous internal scandals, with the party supported by only 8.5% of the vote with a chance to win only two seats in the European Parliament, according to the poll.
Bulgaria’s oldest leftist party is competing with many small leftist formations and coalitions, such as Solidarna Bulgaria (2.6%) and Levitsa (1.9%), which are taking away from its support.
It is reported that former Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and other prominent BSP figures will not be on the party lists for the vote. Stanishev, also a PES leader, has criticised current BSP leader Kornelia Ninova for using excessively nationalist rhetoric.
The BSP list for the June elections is headed by former foreign minister and former MEP Kristian Vigenin. He is followed by Rumen Gechev, deputy prime minister in Videnov’s government from 1995 to 1997, which was ousted by mass street protests due to the country’s severe economic crisis and hyperinflation.
The Alpha Research poll also reveals that Bulgaria’s conservative GERB (EPP) party retains its top spot in the European elections with 25.1% support and is likely to win five seats in the European Parliament.
The We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) coalition holds second place with 18.5% (four seats in the European Parliament), although the two parties in the coalition will be split between the EPP and Renew Europe groups.
A fight for third place is expected between the Vazrazhdane party (14.8%) and the Turkish minority party DPS (14.4%). Alpha Research analysis shows that both parties have equal chances to secure the third place.
To a large extent, GERB and DPS will keep the number of their MEPs—five and three seats, respectively. Vazrazhadane will increase the vote of nationalists represented in the previous European Parliament (from two to three seats). The BSP will be the big loser, with most likely three of its previous seats going to the PP-DB.
40% of Bulgarians are ready to vote in the early parliamentary elections to be held simultaneously with the European elections on June 9.
Meanwhile, the turnout in the European elections is expected to be around 35%, almost 2.4% higher than the 2019 turnout. The higher voter turnout is attributed to the fact that the European elections will be held at the same time as the parliamentary elections.
