Ex-King named Bulgarian PM

Bulgaria's former King, Simeon II, has been named the country's next prime minister.

He will form a new government following his political movement's landslide victory in last month's general elections.

"With great emotion but with my typical sense of responsibilty, and having in mind the trust that the voters gave me on 17 June, I accept this proposal," Simeon said after his party nominated him to be the next premier.

The decision was announced by the party's leader in parliament, Plamen Panayotov, after a meeting with President Petar Stoyanov.

Mr Stoyanov said he would formally give Simeon II a mandate to form a new government on Sunday.

"We informed the president today about the unanimous decision by our parliamentary group to nominate our leader, Simeon Saxe-Coburgotski, for the post of prime minister," said Plamen Panayotov, leader of the parliamentary group of the National Movement for Simeon II (NDS).

NDS won 120 parliamentary seats in last month's elections - one short of an outright majority.

Correspondents say there is little doubt that parliament will approve Simeon's nomination.