Bulgarian Socialists and the GERB party of Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov won the most votes in the country's first elections for the European Parliament, an exit poll by Gallup showed after voting closed on Sunday.

The Socialists, senior partner in the three-way ruling coalition won close to 23% in record low turnout, according to the pollster's forecast, tied with centre-right GERB.

Ruling coalition partners ethnic Turk Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) won an estimated 18,5%, while the centrist Simeon II National Movement (SIINM) got roughly 7,0%.

Ultra-nationalist Ataka (Attack) party is the only other party to exceed the 5,66% threshold set by the Parliament, winning 12%.

Centre-right Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) both failed to make the threshold.

Already low expectations for voter turnout were further hit by the rainy weather that swept the country and only 22% of eligible voters cast their ballots by 5 p.m., two hours before the close of voting, according to the data of the Central Electoral Commission.

Some 6,7 million voters have been cleared to cast their votes on Sunday, with 260,000 barred under new legislation that requires voters to have lived the three months before the election in Bulgaria or another EU member state in order to vote.

The 18 MEPs will join the institution in the middle of its five-year term, which expires in June 2009 when regular elections for the seventh European Parliament will be held.

Bulgarian politicians have been looking at the vote as a first litmus test before the local elections in fall, which traditionally set the ground for the parliamentary polls. Bulgaria will next choose its legislature in 2009.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!