site.btaExacta Poll Finds Major Parties Went for Pre-election Mobilization in May

Exacta Poll Finds Major Parties Went for Pre-election Mobilization in May

Sofia, June 3 (BTA) - An Exacta Research Group poll found
pre-election-style mobilization of the political cores of the
major parties. It was carried out between May 20 and 27 among
1,000 respondents. The analysts said this explained the rising
approval ratings of most party leaders.

If parliamentary elections were held on May 27, GERB, the
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the Movement for Rights and
Freedoms (MRF), the Reformist Bloc and the Patriotic Front would
be certain to win seats, and the Ataka and ABV parties would
stand a chance of winning seats. GERB would poll 24.5 per cent
of the vote, BSP would be second with 14.4 per cent, and the MRF
would be third with 7.3 per cent. The Reformist Bloc would win
6.2 per cent of the vote, followed by the Patriotic Front with
5.1 per cent, Ataka with 3.1 per cent and ABV with 2.8 per cent.
The threshold for entry in Parliament is 4 per cent.

Support for GERB is higher among people in their 50s and highly
educated respondents. It is lowest among poorly educated people
and the Roma.

The BSP draws higher than its average support from women, people
aged over 59 and poorly educated respondents. Its electoral
support is lowest in the under-30 age group.

The Reformist Bloc's supporters are most numerous among
well-educated and working-age people, as well as in the capital.

The Patriotic Front is most popular among the highly educated
residents of the large cities.

Exacta analysts comment that respondents have not yet seen the
expected positive changes in most aspects of public life.
Changes for the better have been registered in four areas.
First, 41 per cent of Bulgarians note progress in the absorption
of EU money. Second, 38 per cent of respondents (mostly
well-educated and working-age Bulgarians) say communications
have made tangible progress, and a mere 16 per cent say this is
not true. Third, 36 per cent (mostly well-educated and
working-age respondents) notice progress in transport, while 26
per cent do not. Fourth, regional development has moved forward
according to 30 per cent of respondents (mostly young highly
educated residents of the large cities), while 28 per cent note
the opposite tendency.

Most Bulgarians do not note any changes in security and home
affairs, environmental protection and culture. Two thirds of
respondents say the Bulgarians' general welfare has slipped.
Slightly more than half of respondents say that negative
tendencies outweigh positive trends in finance, energy, the
economy, health care and justice.

At 66 per cent, Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova has the highest
approval ratings of all politicians in May, gaining 2 per cent.
Fandakova is followed by Regional Development Minister Liliyana
Pavlova (55 per cent) and Health Minister Peter Moskov (46 per
cent).

The top ten politicians with highest approval are Prime Minister
Boyko Borissov (44 per cent), Ivailo Kalfin (43 per cent),
Tomislav Donchev (41 per cent), Georgi Purvanov (37 per cent),
Roumyana Buchvarova (33 per cent), Tsetska Tsacheva and Rosen
Plevneliev (31 per cent each), Krassimir Karakachanov and Valeri
Simeonov (29 per cent each).

Approval for ministers Liliyana Pavlova, Peter Moskov, Ivailo
Kalfin and Tomislav Donchev outweighs disapproval.

The army and the police are the two institutions with the
highest approval ratings at 34 per cent and 33 per cent
respectively.

The judiciary gets the lowest approval ratings at 14 per cent.
Parliament has the approval of 18 per cent of adult Bulgarians,
losing 4 per cent in April and getting to its March levels.
Parliament remains the state institution with the highest
disapproval.

At the end of May, the government enjoyed the approval of 31 per
cent of Bulgarians, and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov of 44
per cent. Approval was highest among GERB supporters.
Fifty-eight per cent disapprove of the government's
performance, with detractors being aged 30-40 and over 60.

Approval for President Plevneliev stood at 31 per cent, and
disapproval at 57 per cent. He is supported by GERB and Movement
for Rights and Freedoms voters.