**GERB Party Emerges Victorious in Bulgaria’s Parliamentary Election**

Former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's center-right GERB party has emerged as the apparent winner in Bulgaria's parliamentary election, according to the country's central electoral commission. With 98% of ballots counted, the GERB party secured 26.5% of the votes, surpassing its nearest rival by nearly 12 percentage points.

Trailing GERB, the pro-Western reformist bloc led by the We Continue the Change party managed to gather a significant portion of the electorate's support. Seven additional parties are also expected to obtain seats in the 240-member chamber, based on the latest vote count.

The far-right, ultranationalist, and populist Vazrazhdane party claimed third place with 13.5% of the vote. Capitalizing on strong pro-Russian sentiments prevalent in Bulgaria, Vazrazhdane advocates for lifting sanctions against Russia, ceasing support for Ukraine, and conducting a referendum on Bulgaria's NATO membership.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms, traditionally representing Bulgaria's large ethnic Turkish minority, experienced a split into two factions. One faction, associated with the party's founder Ahmed Dogan, received 7% of the vote, while the other, led by U.S.-sanctioned businessman and former media tycoon Delyan Peevski, garnered 11%.

The Socialist Party, a successor to Bulgaria's former Communist Party, along with several small populist and pro-Russian groups, will occupy the remainder of the seats in the chamber. Final official results are expected to be confirmed in the coming days.

If confirmed as the winner, Borissov will be tasked with forming his fourth government. In his initial comments following the vote, Borissov described his party's victory as "categorical" and expressed a willingness to form a coalition, excluding only the Vazrazhdane party.