With nearly 100% of ballots counted: GERB-UDF leads in Bulgaria's October 27 early general elections; 9 parties enter next Parliament

The Central Election Commission on October 28 published data from the processing of the voting protocols after the early parliamentary elections held on 27 October.

Data based on ballots from 99.71% of the voting protocols processed shows that the 51st Parliament looks even more fragmented than the previous ones.

Two small nationalist-populist parties, 'Mech' and 'Velichie', also win seats after receiving 4.59% and 4.01%, respectively and therefore pass the 4% threshold for parliamentary representation.

The preliminary results as at 11.00 on 28 October are as follows:

• GERB-UDF - 26.40%
• We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB) - 14.23%
• Vazrazhdane - 13.38%
• Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning - 11.45%
• Alliance for Rights and Freedoms - 7.49%
• Bulgarian Socialist Party - United Left - 7,57%
• There is Such a People - 6,79%
• Morality, Unity, Honour (Mech) - 4,59%
• Velichie – 4,01%

A total of 82,454 people marked “I do not support anyone” on the ballot paper.

According to preliminary results from the voting abroad, the largest share of votes goes to MRF founder Ahmed Dogan’s ‘Alliance for Rights and Freedoms’ with 22.65%, followed by WCC-DB with 20.80%. In third place, the Bulgarians abroad put "Vazrazhdane" with 13.29%. Above the 4% threshold abroad are also Delyan Peevski’s 'Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning' coalition (9.96%), GERB-UDF (8.11%), 'Velichie' (7.74%), 'There is Such a People' (7.12%) and MECh (4.80%). 3,418 people marked the "I do not support anyone" option.

The data for the overseas vote is based on 100% of the CEC protocols processed as at 9.00. Over 147,000 Bulgarians have voted abroad.