Bulgarian Leader Wins Election With Tough Path to Government
- Borissov’s Gerb party beats rivals by a comfortable margin
- Coalition talks face hurdles after rivals rejected cooperation
This article is for subscribers only.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s party won Sunday’s general elections, but thorny ties with his political rivals complicated his path to a fourth term as leader of the European Union’s poorest and most corrupt member.
Already one of the EU’s longest-serving leaders, the former bodyguard of the Balkan state’s last communist dictator capitalized on support from conservative voters drawn to his brusque man-of-the-people style. Critics say Borissov has done little to crack down on endemic graft or improve living standards for Bulgaria’s 7 million people.