Progressive Bulgaria leads exit poll with 39.2%

Progressive Bulgaria is leading Sunday's parliamentary elections with 39.2% of the vote, according to the first exit poll results released by the research center Trend.

The poll, according to the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), showed Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria-Union of Democratic Forces in the second place with 15.1%.

We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria followed with 13.3%, while Movement for Rights and Freedoms received 8.1%.

Revival was projected to win 5% of the vote, narrowly above the threshold for entering parliament.

Bulgarian Socialist Party-United Left stood at 4.2%, according to the exit poll.

Voter turnout nationwide stood at 34.63% as of 4 pm local time, according to the Central Election Commission.

Under the electoral system, parties must secure at least 121 seats in the 240-member parliament to form a government.

Since 2021, the Balkan country of 6.5 million has struggled with fragmented parliaments, failed coalition negotiations and deep political divisions, resulting in short-lived governments and repeated caretaker administrations appointed by the presidency.