SOFIA (Bulgaria), March 23 (SeeNews) – Either the Socialists or their main opponent, conservative GERB party, can come in first in the early general election on March 26 - depending on voter turnout - but the the margin of victory will be insignificant, according to the results of a new poll unveiled on Thursday.
The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) will win between 28.8% and 30.4% of the vote, while GERB will receive the support of between 27.3% and 31.2% of the voters, according to the survey, commissioned and conducted by marketing agency Afis among 1,005 respondents across Bulgaria between March 18 and March 22.
If the number of valid votes is lower than 3.5 million predicted by the survey, the Socialists will have the upper edge; if that number is higher, GERB will have a slight lead, the results from the poll show.
Support for nationalist coalition Patriotic Front is seen in the range of 8.8% - 12.0%, while the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), which represents mainly ethnic Turks and Muslims, will win between 8.8% and 10.2%.
According to the survey, Volya (Will) party led by businessman Veselin Mareshki will receive between 5.6% and 7.1% of the vote.
Two other parties also have the potential to cross the 4% threshold to enter parliament.
Support for the coalition between right-wing Reformist Bloc (RB) and Glas Naroden (Voice of the People) is seen at between 3.6% and 4.8%, while the coalition between left-wing ABV and Movement 21 is expected to win 2.8% - 4.0% of the vote.
Bulgarians go to the polls to elect 240 members of parliament for a four year term on Sunday.
Candidates from 21 parties and coalitions are competing to enter parliament.