Bulgaria's former king Simeon II won a crushing victory in weekend
elections after 55 years in exile, but all eyes turned today to how he plans to revive his impoverishedhomeland's fortunes.
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A movement led by the 64-year-old former child monarch, arelativeof Queen Elizabeth of Britain, won an absolute majorityinyesterday’s legislative ballots, according to almost complete results today.
While he remains tightlipped on whether he plans to actuallybecome prime minister, Simeon looks set to be the region's firstformer monarch to regain power in his native land since the collapse of communism in 1989.
"Bulgaria is no longer the same, we are embarking on a spiritualand economic renaissance," he said last night as the extent of his movement's election victory became clear.
Outgoing Prime Minister Mr Ivan Kostov admitted his government hadmade "many mistakes" over the last four years while itimplementedpainful economic reforms in the Balkan country.
The resulting electoral slap it received yesterday wasdevastating.
With 99.2 per cent of votes counted the former king's movement had43.4 per cent of ballots, Mr Kostov's UDF coalition 18.26 per cent andthe former communist Socialists 17.36 per cent.
For ordinary Bulgarians Simeon's success is a welcome reliefafter a decade of alternating government by Mr Kostov's UnitedDemocratic Forces (UDF) and the former communist Socialist Party (PSB).
Born into the royal house of Saxe-Coburg but forced into exilebycommunists in 1946, Simeon has promised to revive hisimpoverishedcountry's fortunes within 800 days. In his vote-winning campaign henotably pledged interest-freeloans to small businesses and wagehikes to police and teachers.
Simeon has refused to specify what his exact role will be if hiscoalition is officially declared the winner.
Under the Bulgarian constitution he could become prime ministerwithout being an MP but analysts have said he may prefer to pullthe strings of government behind the scenes.
AFP