The conservative GERB party of Bulgaria lead vote count

SOFIA. The conservative GERB party of Boyko Borisov, Bulgaria’s former prime minister, has received the most votes in the weekend’s parliamentary elections, but has fallen far short of a majority and is lacking coalition options.The party, which won 31.4 percent of the vote in Sunday’s election, will have first chance to form a government. The opposition socialist party BSP won 27.34 percent of the votes.However, GERB is struggling to find partners, with its image tarnished by nationwide protests and allegations of illegal activity. Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull, reporting from Sofia, said Borisov must enter coaltion talks and the results must be converted to a governing majority. But he said that two parties are unwilling to support GERB, and if BSP cannot form a government either, then Bulgaria may be forced back to the polls.The inconclusive vote means more political uncertainty and tension in the EU’s poorest country, where massive anti-poverty and anti-corruption demonstrations forced Borisov from office at the end of February.Only two other parties entered the 240-seat legislature - the Turkish minority MRF party with 9.15 percent and the ultra-nationalist Ataka party with 7.6 percent, the results showed.Ataka on Sunday night ruled out joining a GERB-led government.