Where Did WCC-DB Voters Go in the Latest Bulgarian Elections?

The recent Bulgarian elections saw a significant downturn for the "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) coalition, as anticipated. Preliminary data indicates a loss of approximately 250,000 votes compared to the previous election.

With 36.73% of the sectional election protocols processed and WCC-DB ranking third, according to "Alpha Research" only 79% of their previous voters opted for the coalition again. Interestingly, 4% of their votes shifted to GERB, while 3% and 2% went to "Revival" and BSP respectively, with another 2% flowing to "There Is Such a People" (TISP). Six percent migrated to other parties below the entry barrier, with 2% diverting to "Greatness".

Sociologist Boryana Dimitrova observed that the lost votes followed two main trends. Firstly, a majority of supporters abstained from voting altogether. Secondly, the remaining votes were dispersed among various smaller parties. Notably, WCC-DB acted as a donor to both TISP and BSP, in contrast to previous elections.

Dimitrova emphasized the eclectic nature of the vote distribution, highlighting the challenge for many voters in selecting a party based on ideological alignment. These "mobile voters," driven by transient or personal motives, pose a significant challenge to electoral stability in the future.

According to Gallup exit poll data, 92% of WCC-DB voters who cast their ballots repeated their vote in the recent election. However, a considerable portion of the coalition's electorate from the previous election opted to abstain or engage in other activities, reflecting a decline in turnout or engagement.