Clearday-TRForce
06-27-2005, 11:38 AM
SOFIA - *******
Bulgaria's Socialists were scrabbling for support on Sunday to form a government to lead the Balkan state into the European Union in 2007, after winning parliamentary elections without securing an outright majority.
The inconclusive outcome of Saturday's vote could plunge the Black Sea country of 8 million into weeks of negotiations and uncertainty at a time when it must push on with EU-related reforms or risk having its entry delayed by a year.
With 98 percent of the vote counted, official results showed the Socialists won 31.11 percent -- much lower than pre-election forecasts of 40 percent -- versus 19.92 for ex-king Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg's ruling NMS centrists.
The mostly ethnic-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), third-placed with 12.54 percent of the vote, rushed to back the leftists. But pollsters said around six more seats were needed for a majority in the 240-seat parliament, raising the possibility of a wider, EU-focused coalition.
regards.
Bulgaria's Socialists were scrabbling for support on Sunday to form a government to lead the Balkan state into the European Union in 2007, after winning parliamentary elections without securing an outright majority.
The inconclusive outcome of Saturday's vote could plunge the Black Sea country of 8 million into weeks of negotiations and uncertainty at a time when it must push on with EU-related reforms or risk having its entry delayed by a year.
With 98 percent of the vote counted, official results showed the Socialists won 31.11 percent -- much lower than pre-election forecasts of 40 percent -- versus 19.92 for ex-king Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg's ruling NMS centrists.
The mostly ethnic-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), third-placed with 12.54 percent of the vote, rushed to back the leftists. But pollsters said around six more seats were needed for a majority in the 240-seat parliament, raising the possibility of a wider, EU-focused coalition.
regards.