Bulgaria 'Appears to Favour Clinton over Trump'

The Bulgarian government and population seem to favour Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election, according to a special scorecard by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).

While the former US Secretary of State is "familiary to policymakers", there is also "some overlap between the vewpoints of the main opposition parties and [Donald] Trump, mostly because he is considered friendlier to Russia, critical of NATO, anti-immigration, and protectionist in trade relations."

However, "there is no particular support for either candidate."

Trump's views on immigration "have generated interest too" among the population.

Bulgaria's concenrs about the world would remain "the same" (Syria, Islamic State, instability in the Balkans and the Black Sea region, and Russia) regardless of who wins.

The ECFR describes security as "Bulgaria's top concern regarding the US."

The Southeastern European nation also views "security and trade cooperation as the EU's main levers in negotiating a strong relationship with the new US president."

It prefers to work with the US "primarily on a bilateral basis," but sometimes it will combine more than one aproach, the ECFR argues.

The special report on all member states is available here.