If the general election was to be held in Bulgaria now, 23% would vote for GERB and 20% for BSP. File photo
The difference in the support for Bulgaria's ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, and the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, is now just 3%.
The data comes from a poll of Gallup International, published by the Bulgarian Pressa (Press) daily.
Sociologist Andrey Raychev explains the slim margin with the fact the Socialists remain the only true opposition in the country, while GERB's ratings are crashing over abuses of power, media manipulations, and the failure in carrying out reforms.
The battle at the 2013 general election will be mainly between BSP and GERB, according to Raychev, who does not rule out the possibility the left-wing could prevail and even have a majority.
If the general election was to be held now, 23% would vote for GERB and 20% for BSP, compared to November 2009, when GERB led by 31%.
The poll shows that the only other parties having the chance to make it to the next Parliament are the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, with 6% and recently-founded Bulgaria for Citizens of former EU Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva with 5%.