SOFIA: Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party won most votes in Sunday's early parliamentary election with between 32.2 percent and 32.8 percent of the vote, exit polls showed.

The Socialist Party BSP was trailing with 28.0 percent to 28.4 percent, exit polls conducted by Alpha Research and Gallup International Balkan (GIB) showed. </s> SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The Latest on Bulgaria's election Sunday: (all times local):

10:50 p.m.

The leader of Bulgaria's Socialists has conceded defeat after exit polls showed her party placing second in the parliamentary election held Sunday.

Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova congratulated former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's GERB party as the election's winner.

The Socialists, who campaigned on forging closer relations with Russia, ruled out any option of serving in a coalition government with the center-right GERB party.

Ninova says that if "GERB fails to form a government, we will try to do so."

Official returns are expected Monday.

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9:50 p.m.

The leader of Bulgaria's center-right GERB party says the party is prepared to form a government after exit polls showed it placing first in a parliamentary election.

Former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said Sunday evening that GERB has the "duty to form a government because this is the will of the people and because we triggered these early elections."

Two exit polls gave the party more than 32 percent of the vote.

Borisov declined to say with which parties he would try to form a coalition government, pending final election results expected Monday.

However, he stressed: "We will not allow any interference of foreign powers in Bulgaria's internal affairs."

Tensions over the right of Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey to vote and allegations that Ankara was interfering in the election prompted pre-voting protests.

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8:10 p.m.

A pair of exit polls from Bulgaria's parliamentary election shows the center-right GERB party of former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov taking the lead.

The Alpha Research exit poll said GERB won 32.2 percent of the vote and the Socialists came in second with 28 percent.

A separate exit poll by Gallup International Balkan had GERB with 32.8 percent and the Socialists with 28.4 percent.

The Central Election Commission said voter turnout for Sunday's election stood at nearly 43 percent at 5 p.m., a larger showing than in previous elections.

Official results are expected Monday. If they confirm the exit polls, Borisov will be handed a mandate to form his third cabinet.

Story continues

The GERB party was defeated by Socialist President Rumen Radev in the November 2016 presidential election. Borisov resigned after Radev's victory.

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3:10 p.m.

Bulgarians are headed to the polls for the third time in four years in an early vote that could tilt the European Union's poorest member closer to Russia.

Socialist leader Kornelia Ninova, whose party wants EU sanctions lifted against Russia imposed after it annexed Crimea in 2014, says Sunday that she voted "for a change."

She also voted for "security at our borders and inside the country, for justice, and lastly not to give an opportunity to another country, no matter if it comes from East, West or South to interfere in our politics."

Bulgaria, located in southeast Europe, is both a member of the EU and NATO.

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11 a.m.

Bulgarians are headed to the polls for the third time in four years in an early vote that could tilt the European Union's poorest member closer to Russia.

Some 6.8 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote Sunday in an election widely predicted to bring about a fragile government coalition and a fragmented legislature where nationalist and populist parties could become kingmakers.

The election campaign focused on the future of EU, the influence of Russia and Turkey on domestic politics, as well as problems associated with an increased number of migrants.

Surveys say former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's center-right GERB party is running neck-and neck with the Socialist Party of ex-communists. Both parties have pledged to improve economic relations with Russia, appealing to voters who feel let down by the EU.

"I voted for a stable, predictable and united Bulgaria, because tomorrow our nation needs to be united," Borisov said after casting his ballot.

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8 a.m.

The Bulgarian election on Sunday has sparked protests at the Turkish border for the last two days by nationalists who are determined to keep Bulgarian citizens living permanently in Turkey from coming in to vote.

The border blockade reflects rising tensions between the two countries over Turkey's open backing for a group that represents Bulgaria's sizeable Turkish minority. Some 10 percent of the 7.2 million Bulgarians are of Turkish origin or are Muslims. More than 300,000 have settled permanently in neighboring Turkey, but still hold a Bulgarian passport and are eligible to vote.

The blockade by nationalists could affect some 50,000 voters from Turkey.

The protesters claim Turkish officials are forcing expatriate voters to support DOST, a pro-Ankara party running for the first time that nationalists fear is a threat to Bulgarian interests.

The tense relations have prompted a spat between the two nations' leaders.

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7 a.m.

Boiko Borisov, a 57-year-old political maverick who combined man-in-the-street rhetoric with a strict obedience to the EU when he was prime minister, is a key figure in Bulgaria's election on Sunday.

His center-right GERB party was defeated by Socialist President Rumen Radev, a former air force general, in the November 2016 presidential election.

Borisov resigned after Radev's victory, and his party's popularity faded because of the slow pace of reforms to eliminate graft and poverty and overhaul the judicial system. It is now pledging to fight corruption and to raise minimum wages and supports EU sanctions on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis.

Socialist leader Kornelia Ninova wants EU sanctions against Russia lifted, a bigger role for the state in the economy, and has wooed voters with promises of higher salaries and pensions.

A populist party Volya (Will) is trying to enter Parliament. It's led by Veselin Mareshki, a wealthy businessman who combines patriotic rhetoric with promises of strict immigration controls and friendlier relations with Moscow. </s> • Angela Merkel is on track to secure a minority victory over her rivals
• The far-right, anti-immigrant AfD is posed to form the opposition
• Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz will likely form a ‘grand coalition’ The latest election polls from Germany show that Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) are in the strong lead ahead of Martin Schulz's Social Democrats (SPD). The polls also suggest that incumbent Chancellor will be forced to strike a coalition deal with the SPD, or a potential three-way alliance between the CDU/CSU, Greens and liberal Free Democrats (FDP). One party to look out for, is the controversial AdF which has grown in support in the run up to the election. Here are all the latest live updates, polls and campaign news as Germany elects its next government in the federal election. (All times BST)

Ron Nehring, a former US National Spokesman who is currently at the CDU headquarters in Germany, thinks that the German left will be extremely disappointed with the election results. He said in a tweet: “I get the sense the left in Germany is heading to a crushing defeat, extremely poor showing in today's election. First results in 20 mins.” 4.40pm: A 5 per cent AfD victory could be enough of a success for right-wing party Mathieu von Rohr, deputy head of the Der Spiegel Foreign desk, thinks that entering the Bundestag will be enough of a victory to cause and upset in Germany. He tweeted: “What should be seen as a success for AfD? Need 5% to enter Bundestag. Polls predict 10%+ which would be big. 15%+ would be an upset.”

4.30pm: Exit polls out in just 30 minutes The first round of exit polls are expected to be released in just 30 minutes. The final ballot count will not be out until 2am, but the exit polls are known to be extremely reliable in the German elections. By 5.30pm, a mix of exit polls and preliminary ballot counts should give a clearer picture of the results. FIND OUT HOW TO WATCH THE ELECTION RESULTS LIVE ONLINE 4.20pm: AfD could be in a position of power if it enters the Bundestag Melinda Crane, the chief political correspondent at DW, explained how the AfD ganging parliamentary seats would put it in a position of power. “One of the things we’re going to be watching is not only the percentage of seats, but also will the AfD then come in as a strong third party, because that means potentially if the two main parties – the SPD, the Social Democrats and the CDU and Angela Merkel’s Conservatives – were once again o govern in a grand coalition, the AfD would become the leader of the opposition. “That carries a number of perquisites, including for example the right for open debate in the Bundestag when it’s about the budget. “That is a powerful position and it will be a powerful platform for discourse that may trouble many German citizens. “As you know, we’ve seen the threshold on what is acceptable political discourse here in Germany.”

The are the latest opinion polls collected by Infratest dime: 4pm: Election turn out slips with one hour to go A Federal Returning Officer confirmed today that by 1pm, only 41.4 per cent of the electorate cast their election ballot. "It has perhaps never been as clear that the elections are about the future of democracy and Europe," the Officer wrote in newspaper Bild am Sonntag. "If you don't vote, others decide." More than 60 million Germans are eligible to vote in the federal elections. The largest group of voters is older and born in Germany to German parents, predominantly in the range of 70 and older – 20.7 per cent of the electorate according to theFederal Office of Statistics. About 10.4 per cent of the voters are estimated to have a “migrant background” and 51.5 per cent of German voters are women.

Christian Odendahl tweeted: “As elsewhere, I think this time around the relatively high turnout will benefit the populists in Germany.” The German Chancellor cast her ballot at a polling station in a school in Berlin's Mitte district. in a bod to secure her fourth term in office. Markus Putzel, an election volunteer at the Berlin polling station told CNN that the turnout is “quite high” there. It's a bit like the German Bundesliga," he said. "You know that Bayern Munich will always be the champion, but it is exciting to see who will come second." 3.30pm: Angela Merkel still in the lead with two hours to go A number of polls show that Mrs Merkel’s CDU/CSU is still in the lead for victory. A Pollytix election aggregator predicts that the Conservative’s will secure 36.1 per cent of the vote. based on the average of 21 different pollsters. The SPD are in second place with 22.2 per cent of the vote, and the AfD are looking to score 10.6 per cent of the vote.

2pm: Election turnout comparable to 2013 as Germans head to the polls The election turnout this year is at least two per cent higher than 2013, according to Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform. Mr Odendahl tweeted: “Turnout seems to be higher than 2013 in #BTW2017. Might benefit #AfD (former non-voters) rather than major parties (anti-AfD vote). “Turnout in Munich so far: 57% vs. 44% in 2013. “Lowest turnout in a German federal election was in 2009: 70.8%. Highest in 1972: 91.1%. “City of Koeln reports 2 percentage points higher turnout than in 2013, a 1 pm. CLICK HERE TO READ OUR PREVIOUS GERMAN ELECTION LIVE UPDATES </s> Bulgarian Socialists' Party leader Kornelia Ninova smiles as she casts her vote in Sofia on Sunday, March 26, 2017. Bulgarians are heading to the polls for the third time in four years in a snap vote that could tilt the European Union's poorest member country closer to Russia as surveys put the GERB party neck-and-neck with the Socialist Party. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The Latest on Bulgaria's election Sunday: (all times local):

The leader of Bulgaria's Socialists has conceded defeat after exit polls showed her party placing second in the parliamentary election held Sunday.

Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova congratulated former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's GERB party as the election's winner.

The Socialists, who campaigned on forging closer relations with Russia, ruled out any option of serving in a coalition government with the center-right GERB party.

Ninova says that if "GERB fails to form a government, we will try to do so."

The leader of Bulgaria's center-right GERB party says the party is prepared to form a government after exit polls showed it placing first in a parliamentary election.

Former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said Sunday evening that GERB has the "duty to form a government because this is the will of the people and because we triggered these early elections."

Two exit polls gave the party more than 32 percent of the vote.

Borisov declined to say with which parties he would try to form a coalition government, pending final election results expected Monday.

However, he stressed: "We will not allow any interference of foreign powers in Bulgaria's internal affairs."

Tensions over the right of Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey to vote and allegations that Ankara was interfering in the election prompted pre-voting protests.

A pair of exit polls from Bulgaria's parliamentary election shows the center-right GERB party of former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov taking the lead.

The Alpha Research exit poll said GERB won 32.2 percent of the vote and the Socialists came in second with 28 percent.

A separate exit poll by Gallup International Balkan had GERB with 32.8 percent and the Socialists with 28.4 percent.

The Central Election Commission said voter turnout for Sunday's election stood at nearly 43 percent at 5 p.m., a larger showing than in previous elections.

Official results are expected Monday. If they confirm the exit polls, Borisov will be handed a mandate to form his third cabinet.

The GERB party was defeated by Socialist President Rumen Radev in the November 2016 presidential election. Borisov resigned after Radev's victory.

Bulgarians are headed to the polls for the third time in four years in an early vote that could tilt the European Union's poorest member closer to Russia.

Socialist leader Kornelia Ninova, whose party wants EU sanctions lifted against Russia imposed after it annexed Crimea in 2014, says Sunday that she voted "for a change."

She also voted for "security at our borders and inside the country, for justice, and lastly not to give an opportunity to another country, no matter if it comes from East, West or South to interfere in our politics."

Bulgaria, located in southeast Europe, is both a member of the EU and NATO.

Bulgarians are headed to the polls for the third time in four years in an early vote that could tilt the European Union's poorest member closer to Russia.

Some 6.8 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote Sunday in an election widely predicted to bring about a fragile government coalition and a fragmented legislature where nationalist and populist parties could become kingmakers.

The election campaign focused on the future of EU, the influence of Russia and Turkey on domestic politics, as well as problems associated with an increased number of migrants.

Surveys say former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's center-right GERB party is running neck-and neck with the Socialist Party of ex-communists. Both parties have pledged to improve economic relations with Russia, appealing to voters who feel let down by the EU.

"I voted for a stable, predictable and united Bulgaria, because tomorrow our nation needs to be united," Borisov said after casting his ballot.

The Bulgarian election on Sunday has sparked protests at the Turkish border for the last two days by nationalists who are determined to keep Bulgarian citizens living permanently in Turkey from coming in to vote.

The border blockade reflects rising tensions between the two countries over Turkey's open backing for a group that represents Bulgaria's sizeable Turkish minority. Some 10 percent of the 7.2 million Bulgarians are of Turkish origin or are Muslims. More than 300,000 have settled permanently in neighboring Turkey, but still hold a Bulgarian passport and are eligible to vote.

The blockade by nationalists could affect some 50,000 voters from Turkey. The protesters claim Turkish officials are forcing expatriate voters to support DOST, a pro-Ankara party running for the first time that nationalists fear is a threat to Bulgarian interests. The tense relations have prompted a spat between the two nations' leaders. Boiko Borisov, a 57-year-old political maverick who combined man-in-the-street rhetoric with a strict obedience to the EU when he was prime minister, is a key figure in Bulgaria's election on Sunday. His center-right GERB party was defeated by Socialist President Rumen Radev, a former air force general, in the November 2016 presidential election. Borisov resigned after Radev's victory, and his party's popularity faded because of the slow pace of reforms to eliminate graft and poverty and overhaul the judicial system. It is now pledging to fight corruption and to raise minimum wages and supports EU sanctions on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis. Socialist leader Kornelia Ninova wants EU sanctions against Russia lifted, a bigger role for the state in the economy, and has wooed voters with promises of higher salaries and pensions. A populist party Volya (Will) is trying to enter Parliament. It's led by Veselin Mareshki, a wealthy businessman who combines patriotic rhetoric with promises of strict immigration controls and friendlier relations with Moscow. </s> LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Exit polls suggest the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party has won the most votes in a parliamentary election. </s> Exit polls suggest the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party has won the most votes in a parliamentary election

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Exit polls suggest the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party has won the most votes in a parliamentary election. </s> Bulgarian ex-Premier Boiko Borisov, leader of the center-right GERB party, speaks to media after voting, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, March 26, 2017. Bulgarians are heading to the polls for the third time in four years in a snap vote that could tilt the European Union's poorest member country closer to Russia as surveys put the center-right GERB party neck-and-neck with the Socialist Party.

Start the conversation, or Read more at News Times. </s> SOFIA, March 26 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party won a parliamentary election on Sunday, exit polls showed, giving it a chance to form another government after a GERB administration resigned in November, triggering the snap poll.

Exit polls conducted by Alpha Research and Gallup International Balkan (GIB) showed GERB had won between 32.2 percent and 32.8 percent of the vote, with the Socialist Party BSP trailing on 28.0 percent to 28.4 percent.

The Socialists had said they would improve ties with Russia if they won the election, even if that meant upsetting the country's European Union partners.

A government led by GERB prime minister Boiko Borisov resigned in November after the party's candidate lost a presidential election to pro-Russian, Socialist-backed candidate Rumen Radev. Bulgaria is currently in the hands of a caretaker administration.

Borisov said during the election campaign that he could hold talks to form a coalition government with the United Patriots nationalist alliance and the small Reformist Bloc grouping, if it crosses the parliamentary threshold of 4 percent.

The exit polls put the United Patriots in third place with 8.8-9.5 percent of the vote, followed by the MRF ethnic Turk party on 7.8-9.7 percent.

If the Reformist Bloc does not make it into parliament, Borisov will need to find other supporters, suggesting complicated coalition talks in the coming days. (Editing by Radu Marinas; Editing by Catherine Evans) </s> The first results and projections suggested France's eurosceptic far-right National Rally party led by Marine Le Pen was set to finish top in France, 1.2-1.5 percent ahead of the ruling faction of President Emmanuel Macron.

In Italy Matteo Salvini's far-right League is also expected to poll well, and exit polls have indicated the Flemish far-right is set for a strong showing in Belgium.

Germany's far-right AfD was set to improve on their 2014 score of 7.1 percent, with exit polls seeing it coming in at 10.5 percent.
• Analysis: Cut the hysteria Le Pen is not on her way to French presidency
• Sweden's far right gains ground in European election

Before the vote, EU officials feared the far-right could win 200 of the 751 seats and Le Pen's National Rally called Sunday for the formation of a "powerful group" in the European Parliament.

But observers doubt the populists' ability to form an effective coalition, and the mainstream centrist blocs could welcome liberal and Green members into a broader alliance to contain the threat.

Environmentalist political parties performed strongly across Europe, reflecting how the issue of climate change has leapt up the agenda as young activists take up the cause.

In Germany, the Greens were on course to knock the centre-left SPD, the coalition partner of Chancellor Angela Merkel, from second place.

The exit polls also showed the French green party EEVL led by a former top figure at Greenpeace France making strong gains with a score of 12-12.7 percent compared with 8.9 percent in the last EU elections in 2014.

Through school strikes, civil disobedience and large-scale marches, the movements have succeeded in highlighting how human behaviour threatens the future of the planet.

Macron had made no secret of the significance he attached to the results and his party's performance is likely to be seen as a major setback for the president two years into his five year mandate.

But the Elysee sought to put a brave face on the indications, saying that the performance was "respectable" after reports indicated that a bad showing could lead to a cabinet reshuffle.

The night was no better for Merkel, as exit polls showed the list of her centre-right bloc was due to only garner around 28 percent.

Elsewhere, Greek voters relegated Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party to second place behind the opposition conservative New Democracy party.

However, one EU leader sitting happily was Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose Fidesz party exit polls showed was on course for a big victory.

After fears ahead of the election that voters would stay away, turnout across the European Union excluding Britain was estimated at 51 percent, the highest in 20 years, the EU parliament said.

In the first election to the European Parliament in 1979, 62 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot in what were then nine member states.

Since then the number of members has swollen to 28, but turnout has fallen every five years, to just over 42 percent in 2014.

Since the last European elections, British voters have decided to quit the EU altogether, and this week's polls might be the last for UK parties.

Brexit day itself has been postponed, triggering a crisis for Prime Minister Theresa May's government, and Nigel Farage's Brexit Party is expected to do well.

The announcement of the results for Britain will come as the ruling Conservative Party braces for a leadership contest to replace May after she announced she was stepping down on Friday.

Among the frontrunners are figures like former foreign secretary Boris Johnson who are passionate supporters of Brexit.

This in turn, along with the performance of pro-EU parties, will influence the debate in the other EU capitals about whether to accord Britain another Brexit extension.
Official results of yesterday's election are released today. An exit poll showed the centre-right GERB winning the most votes.