Bulgaria: BSP Returns Cabinet-Forming Mandate, Elections Day Fixed for July 11
The forthcoming Bulgarian legislature will be the first one in which 95 percent of voters will be represented in Parliament, sociologist Zhivko Georgiev from Gallup agency told the Bulgarian National Television.
Another political expert, Petko Georgiev, has dismissed his remark, saying results suggest votes of 2 percent of those eligible to vote are now enough to make it into Parliament.
October 5's vote is expected to have the lowest voter turnout in 25 years, BGNES wire service reports.
If exit poll results are confirmed, for the first time since 2005 more than seven (or as many as seven) political parties will be represented in parliament.
Partial count data is expected as early as October 6, but official figures will not be available until Thursday, October 9.
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Bulgaria's largest party GERB and the Reformist Bloc have both taken a U-turn after initially saying they found it impossible to shake hands during the government consultations on Wednesday.
Bulgaria's Central Electoral Committee (CEC) fined the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) Lyutvi Mestan and MP Hyusein Hafsuzov for solicitation in foreign language, which is forbidden by law.
The new National Assembly is to hold its opening session on October 27, at 14:00 EEST, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev announced.
Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev is set to meet on Wednesday all parties and coalitions entering the new Parliament after the October 5 early elections.
Right-wing Reformist Bloc is the third political force to meet conservative GERB as part of the consultations to form a coalition government with shared responsibility.
The centre-right GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) will negotiate on Tuesday afternoon on the formation and support for new government.
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