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Bulgarians went to the polls on Sunday in a parliamentary election expected to oust Bulgaria''s Socialist-led coalition and elevate the centre-right party of Sofia''s popular mayor to power.

Polls opened at 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) and will close at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT), with 6.8 (m) million eligible voters choosing between some 4,500 candidates from 14 political parties and four coalitions for parliament''s 240 seats.

Latest opinion polls have suggested Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev will pay the price for the failure of his government to handle an economy hit hard by the global downturn.

His main opponent, the capital''s Mayor Boiko Borisov is tipped to score a victory, although possibly by too narrow a margin to form a government without seeking a coalition partner.

Borisov''s centre right party has been riding high on promises to jail corrupt officials and crime bosses.

Despite securing European Union membership, Stanishev''s government has been widely blamed for failing to improve the quality of everyday life in the Balkan country of 7.6 (m) million, the poorest member of the EU.

Although unemployment stands at a relatively low seven per cent, opinion polls suggest more than a third of Bulgarians fear they might lose their job in the near future.

And while wage increases have pushed the average salary to 420 US dollars, it remains the lowest in the 27-member EU.

One woman, speaking in the early hours of Sunday shortly after casting her vote, said she hoped for a better future for her family.

The main reason for the government''s eroding support, has been its perceived failure to deal with crime and corruption.

Last year Brussels froze (m) millions in aid over fraud.

Many Bulgarians see politicians from the Socialist party, as well as from its junior coalition partner, the mainly Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, as being part of the problem rather than a credible solution.