Bulgaria (Into The Coalition Of The Unwilling, or Of The Fakers?)

Bulgaria held elections last weekend. The Socialists (post-reformed-communists) won it, but with only 31%, they are forced to pick coalitioners - which could be the losing centre-right government party of the onetime king and present PM (20%), or one of three small right-wing parties, along with the party representing the Turkish and Gipsy minorities (13%). Unfortunately, the far-right also had a strong showing: 8%. Also worth to note, except for this one, all parties support joining the EU.

What makes this election a global issue is that while Bulgaria has been until now one of the staunchest members of the Coalition of Bribed & Blackmailed in Iraq (also with one of the highest casualty rates), the Socialists promised a pullout in the campaign.

Now the question is: will they fulfill their promises like Spain's Zapatero? Or, are they about to be bribed & blackmailed, and use shifty rhetoric towards the own population while in truth remaining in Iraq? That is, will they join the Ukraine's Yushchenko, Italy's Berlusconi and Poland's leaders, who keep on talking of pullout but with ever changing conditions and dates. The US certainly hopes the latter - the US ambassador already visited the Socialists.