The tension in the Black Sea and the approach of the war to Bulgaria may affect the presidential vote by strengthening support for Iliana Yotova. This was stated by the director of the sociological agency “Myara“ Parvan Simeonov in the program “Metronome“ on Radio FOCUS.
“The more frighteningly close this war becomes to Bulgaria, the more people will want it to end“, said Simeonov.The campaign remains in the shadow of international events
According to the sociologist, the election campaign fails to set the agenda on its own, but follows the development of political and international events. “We don't see a campaign as much as we see everything around“, he commented.
Simeonov pointed out that increased polarization could make it difficult for smaller candidates. According to him, the development of the war and the tension in the Black Sea could change voters' attitudes, especially if the conflict is perceived as increasingly close to Bulgaria.
Turnout expected between 35 and 40 percent
A survey by “Myara“, conducted between September 24 and October 4 among 1,000 adult Bulgarian citizens, shows an expected turnout of between 35 and 40 percent. Simeonov defined the low turnout in presidential elections as a lasting trend.
Among the reasons for the weaker motivation, he cited the lack of a new electoral wave and the withdrawal of some of the traditional party voters. According to him, the election result will matter not only for the presidential institution, but also for the future realignment of political forces.
Sources: focus-news.net, btvnovinite.bg