“Pro-Western” government fails, Bulgaria risks early elections

Bulgaria risks falling into a new crisis after the two largest ruling parties failed to form a unity government to steer the European Union's poorest country through political turmoil.

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister-designate, Mariya Gabriel, on March 25 abandoned her attempt to form a new Cabinet. Her decision was approved after a round of voting in the Bulgarian parliament on March 26, bringing the southeastern European country closer to an early election.

If early elections are triggered, as early as next June, it will be Bulgaria's sixth election in just over three years.

Political turmoil threatens to further delay Bulgaria's long-delayed goal of joining the eurozone next year, and could hamper much-needed military aid to Ukraine, where pro-Russian and nationalist forces are on the rise.

Previously, after the election in April last year, to end the electoral cycle that often leads to deadlock, the “pro-Western” reform bloc, including the We Continue the Change Party (PP) and the Bulgarian Democratic Party (DB) led by former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, reached a power-sharing agreement with the political bloc led by the center-right GERB Party led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

World - — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel in Sofia, July 2023. Photo: Rubryka

Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, who represented PP-DB in the coalition Cabinet until March 5, has resigned to make way for GERB-UDF's Gabriel as part of a power-sharing deal.

But the two sides failed to reach a smooth transition of power, instead accusing each other of “sabotaging” the talks. The two-week talks descended into partisan wrangling over issues including judicial reform, security agency leadership and Ms Gabriel’s new Cabinet.

Former Prime Minister Borissov was ousted in 2021 amid anti-corruption protests. His departure gave way to a series of fragile coalitions and caretaker Cabinets as Bulgarians repeatedly went to the polls.

Former Prime Minister Petkov will now have the chance to form a new Cabinet, but without the support of Borissov's GERB-UDF, PP-DB will not have the necessary support. Another failed attempt would allow Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to choose a third faction for his final attempt to form a government before scheduling early elections for the EU-NATO member state .

Minh Duc (According to Bloomberg, AP)

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