Foreign media have noted Bulgaria's rejection of the socialist government, interpreting it as a vote of no-confidence in the establishment's inability to tackle corruption and raise living standards.

The BBC hailed the "significant victory" of Boiko Borissov's party in winning Bulgaria's election.

"His Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) looks set to take 40 per cent of the vote - more than half that of the ruling Socialist Party."

The BBC quotes its correspondent Nick Thorpe as saying that "Bulgarians have a habit of voting governments out of office, doing so at each general election for the past 19 years."
 
The Washington Post, reflecting on Borissov's victory, said that "Stanishev's Socialist government has been credited with securing EU membership for Bulgaria in 2007, but it has widely been blamed for failing to crack down on corruption and improve the quality of life for Bulgaria's 7.6 million people."
 
The Times' David Charter saw the result in more personal terms. "The right-wing Opposition, led by a karate black-belt, claimed victory in Bulgaria’s general election last night after a campaign centred on the economy and the country’s poor record on fighting corruption."

Charter continues: "His coalition was on course to gain 117 seats in the 240-member parliament after pledging to end the criminality that has led the EU to suspend millions of euros in development funds."

The Daily Telegraph's Nick Squires introduced his piece by saying that "Boiko Borissov, a former right-wing bodyguard named 'Batman', said he would form a government as soon as possible after exit polls signalled victory".

Squires continues: "Burly Mr Borisov, 50, whose superhero nickname comes from his zeal for action, has won support from many Bulgarians who are fed up with two decades of slow reform under successive governments. He has promised to tackle the country's endemic crime and corruption."