Election day for Bulgarians abroad concluded at 5:00 a.m. Bulgarian time when the last polling stations closed on the West Coast of the USA and Canada, reports BNR. Information from Bulgaria’s diplomatic and consular missions confirms that all polling stations worldwide have now completed operations and submitted their results.
According to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission as of 7 a.m., the “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB) coalition led in several European countries, including Great Britain, Germany, France, and Italy, with “Revival” securing second place. In countries such as Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Georgia, around 50% of Bulgarians who voted abroad supported WCC-DB. Meanwhile, “Revival” held a narrow lead over both “Greatness” and WCC-DB in Spain, though by less than a 2% margin.
Out of the 146,952 Bulgarians who cast their ballots abroad, France saw relatively low turnout compared to previous elections, with only 2,895 voters participating. Paris had the highest turnout in the country, with nearly 1,200 votes cast across three polling sections, while Lyon had the second-highest. WCC-DB garnered 36.20% of the overall vote in France, a figure that rose to 46.52% within the Paris polling stations. “Revival” took second place in France with 15.89%, followed by “Greatness” at 9.41% and the GERB coalition at 9.17%.
A total of 719 polling stations were available for Bulgarian citizens in 57 countries, primarily in Europe, as per data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This election saw a particularly active response in Turkey’s Bursa region, where 14,745 people voted, surpassing Istanbul’s 13,336 votes. In Edirne, 10,734 Bulgarian citizens participated, according to reports from BNR’s special envoy Maria Petrova.
In North Macedonia, election day saw low turnout, with only 327 Bulgarians voting across five polling sections. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the voting process abroad went smoothly, with no reported difficulties, allowing Bulgarians to exercise their right to vote freely and without hindrance.