The ruling centre-right National Movement for Simeon II, led by Bulgaria's ex-king and prime minister since 2001, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, won 20%.

ECONOMIST: Bulgaria's election

An ex-Communist, Georgi Purvanov, was elected president of Bulgaria , against the wishes of the country's prime minister, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, its ex-king.

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Several years ago Bulgaria's new prime minister, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, was shocked to discover that an entrepreneur in his country had to obtain 17 government permits in order to start a business.

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