Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party is on course for election victory on May 12 despite resigning from the government after mass protests against low living standards in February, a poll showed on Sunday. The state-funded NPOC survey put ex-premier Boiko Borisov's GERB at 23.6 percent and the Socialists at 17.7 percent. On this basis, however, a hung parliament looked likely since a party needs over 43 percent of votes for a majority.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in the European Union's poorest country in anger over corruption, rising unemployment and high utility bills, prompting the resignation of Borisov's government. Analysts say the unrest galvanised GERB supporters while protesters failed to form a single political group to challenge its position. The Socialists have failed to gain from the discontent since may protesters were unhappy with the whole political class, not just GERB.
Support for GERB was also largely unaffected by charges against four senior interior ministry officials for mishandling wiretapping equipment and data, which prosecutors said could have resulted in illegal surveillance of politicians and businessmen. The nation-wide survey, conducted between April 19 and 25, showed backing for the ethnic Turkish MRF party fell slightly to 6.0 percent in April from 6.5 percent a month earlier.