In a survey carried out by the Sofia-based Mediana polling agency, less than a third of eligible voters expect to cast their ballot when the country goes to the polls on October 27, in an election mired by years of political instability that has seen a succession of governments come and go.

October’s vote will be the seventh general election in three years and follows an inconclusive election in June that provided no clear winner.

The survey also found that 53% of the electorate do not believe that their votes will determine who or how their country is governed and that no party or coalition will secure a majority.

Numerous attempts to form a coalition government from Bulgaria’s bickering political parties have previously come to nothing, fueling a growing sense of disillusionment among voters with the political class.

The center-right GERB-UDF coalition, the pro-Russia hard-right Revival party (Vazrazhdane), the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) - United Left Coalition, and the populist There Is Such a People party are expected to retain the last election results, while voter confidence is lower in the centrist We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria coalition (PP-DB), according to the poll.

As many as one in four respondents (24.5%) said they would vote for the GERB-UDF coalition; 13.7% for Vazrazhdane, 12.1% for PP-DB, and 8.8% for BSP - United Left Coalition. The runner-up in the last election, the centrist Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), has since transformed into Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (DPS–Dogan) and MRF - New Beginning Coalition, and the two parties have the support of 8.7% and 5% of pollees. TISP is expected to get 7% of the votes.

According to Mediana, despite the low turnout, a three-party majority might form the cabinet but may not be able to solve the political crisis.

Mediana surveyed 978 registered voters from October 8–13.