Ethnic Turkish Party Wins 40% of Bulgaria's Overseas Vote

The CEC, as cited by mediapool.bg, informed Monday that a total of 115 464 Bulgarians had cast a ballot at the May 12 elections, the highest number of voters (65 035) registered in Turkey. Photo by BGNES

According to preliminary results of the May 12 general elections, with 55.95% of the total of protocols of overseas polling stations processed, 41.30% of Bulgarians abroad voted for the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party.

The center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria GERB party of former Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov won 24.53% of the overseas vote, the coalition Center – Liberty and Dignity was supported by 7.41%, and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) by 5.85%, according to preliminary data of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

The CEC, as cited by mediapool.bg, informed Monday that a total of 115 464 Bulgarians had cast a ballot at the May 12 elections, the highest number of voters (65 035) registered in Turkey.

The CEC noted that overseas voter turnout had dropped from the 2009 parliamentary elections, when over 156 000 people had gone to the polls.