Bulgaria (Washington Insider Magazine) -The political chaos in Bulgaria continues to push the country towards holding its parliamentary elections this year. The next vote is looming as the center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party failed to establish a ruling coalition following elections last month.
Daniel Mitov, GERB party’s choice for prime minister, on Aug. 20 returned his mandate to President Rumen Radev leaving little option but to hold another vote. GERB won just 63-seats in the 240-member parliament, far short of a majority. Other parties have stated that they refuse to work with GERB in forming a government.
President Radev had beseeched GERB’s to attempt to form a government after the anti-establishment party, There Is Such A People (ITN), decided against forming a government following two other protest parties declining to join a coalition.
In a statement on Aug. 10, anti-establishment party There Is Such A People leader Slavi Trifonov said that “We will not present our proposed cabinet for a vote [of confidence in parliament], as we have clearly declared that we will not be presenting a cabinet without the support” of Democratic Bulgaria and a group called Stand Up, BG! We are coming!” Reuters reported.
The president is required by law to name a third party and form a Cabinet of Ministers, but experts have predicted that the chance for a party to form a government in a highly fractured parliament remain slim.
If a third attempt fails, Radev will have to dissolve parliament, form yet another interim government, and call for new elections within two months. He was in a similar position back in April when elections resulted in a deadlocked parliament. An interim cabinet was formed until elections in July.
These developments have put the European Union’s (EU) poorest and one of the most corrupt countries in a tough spot when addressing crucial issues. Massive anti-government protests swept across the country for more than a year as a fourth wave of COVID-19 has surged across Europe in recent months.
