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Bulgaria's Central Electoral Commission released the official final results of the country's early elections.
According to them, the party with most seats is the centre-right GERB. It got 1 072 491, or 32.67% of the votes and 84 seats in Parliament. Its supporters cast 11 923 invalid ballots.
Next is the Bulgarian Socialist Party and its coalition Left Bulgaria with 505 527 votes – 15.4% and 39 seats.
One seat less – 38 – gets the ethnic Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS). For it voted 487 134 people, or 14.84%. DPS is also the party with largest number of invalid ballots – 15 093.
The Reformist Bloc is fourth with 291 806 votes (8.89%) and 23 seats, followed by the nationalist coalition Patriotic Front with 239 101 votes (7.28%) and 19 MPs.
Next is the formation of the TV host-turned-politician Nikolai Barekov, Bulgaria Without Censorship with 186 930 votes (5.69%) and 15 seats in Parliament.
The nationalists Ataka and the party of former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, ABV, get 11 MPs each. The former got 148 262 votes (4.52%), the latter – 136 223 votes (4.15%).
According to CEC chairperson Ivilina Aleksieva, the total number of voters' signatures in the election papers was 3 500 585 and the number of cast ballots was 3 501 269. The number of valid ballots was 3 283 192, the number of invalid - 218 125. The number of votes, necessary for passing the 4% threshold was 131 326.6 votes.
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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