A recent poll carried out by Alfa Research reveals that 46 per cent of Bulgarians still approve of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Boiko Borissov even though the ratings for Borissov himself, his party - and indeed all the main party leaders - are significantly down.

Although approval for the Government remains relatively high, Borissov's personal approval rating - at 50 per cent in February - has dropped nearly 10 per cent on last August's rating.

Yet it seems that Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader, and former prime minister, Sergei Stanishev, has failed to capitalise on the Government's slight drop in support. Stanishev's rating is down nine per cent for the same period, to 14 per cent.

Other party leaders seem to be losing popularity with the public too. Ratings for the leader of the conservative Order, Law and Justice party, Yane Yanev,  is down 13 per cent to nine per cent. Far-right Ataka leader Volen Siderov's approval rating are down 11 per cent. Ahmed Dogan, on the other hand, leader of the ethnic Turkish party Movement for Rights and Freedoms, enjoys higher approval ratings – up by 1.1 per cent.

The approval of the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (abbreviated as GERB in Bulgarian) party, and the parties figuring in the coalition, is also down. GERB now has less than 46 per cent approval rating, 13 per cent less than August. The Order, Law and Justice party's support is down 13 per cent and Ataka’s is down 10 per cent.