Fresh Poll Gives 2% Edge to Bulgaria's GERB over Socialists
Elections 2013 | May 9, 2013, Thursday // 15:57| views
Bulgarians will go to the polls on May 12 to vote in snap general elections. File photo
If elections were to be held now, 21.3% of voters would cast a ballot for the formerly-ruling centrist Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB.
GERB's top rival, said to be running neck-and-neck in the race – the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, would get 18.9%
According to the results, the other formations set to overcome the 4% threshold to enter the Parliament are the ethnic Turkish Party Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS – 7%, the right-wing Bulgaria for Citizens of former EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva – 4.9%, and the far-right, nationalist party Ataka – also 4.9%.
The poll has been conducted by the Center for Analyses and Marketing between April 30 and May 4 among 1 012 Bulgarians of voting age.
The nationalist National Front for Saving Bulgaria gets 1.8%; the Liberal Alliance – 1.5%, the coalition around the right-wing Union of Democratic Forces, UDF – 1.4%. the nationalist VMRO -1.3%; the Coalition around the right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB – 1.2%; the Center – Freedom and Dignity, which is a coalition between the party of former Tsar and Prime Minister, Simeon Saxe-Coburg and of ethnic Turkish politicians (Kasim Dal) who left DPS, – 1%; LIDER, associated with energy mogul, Hristo Kovachki – 0.9%, the conservative Order, Law and Justice party, RZS – 0.8%, and People's Voice of rock musician Svetoslav Vitkov – 0.7%.
When asked who they would like to see as the next Bulgarian PM, 22% of the respondents have selected Boyko Borisov – GERB leader and former PM, 18.6% - the Socialist nomination for PM, former Finance Minister, Plamen Oresharski; 5.7% - Meglena Kuneva; 5.5% - the leader of DPS, Lyutvi Mestan, and 5.3% - Ataka leader, Volen Siderov.
Nearly 28% of voters are interested in the scandal with unauthorized wiretapping and follow closely its developments; 22% are not at all interested; 48% know about it, but are not much interested in it.
Nearly 3% have said the scandal made them change their voting decision; 5% - began hesitating, while 6% began thinking of not going to the polls; 81% have reported that the scandal had zero influence on their voting decision.
49% are definitely going to vote; 19% will vote, but have not made a firm choice yet.
According to the forecast of the Center for Marketing and Analyses, in the next Parliament GERB will have 83 – 95 MPs; BSP – 76 – 86, DPS – 33 – 39; Ataka – 17 -21; and Bulgaria for Citizens – 13 – 17.
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