Bulgarians are tired of elections

Bulgaria is likely to face lengthy and difficult coalition talks after parliamentary elections on April 2 – the fifth in two years – again failed to produce a clear winner.

According to preliminary election results based on 96% of votes counted, the political bloc led by the center-right GERB Party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov won 26.5% of the vote, while the pro-Western reform bloc led by the We Continue the Change (PP) Party won 24.9% of the vote.

It could be several days before final official results are announced. If confirmed as the winner, Borissov will be tasked with forming his fourth government . But the GERB leader will face an uphill battle to cobble together a governing coalition in a fragmented 240-seat parliament.

“A caretaker cabinet or a sixth early vote remains the most likely outcome following the recent general election,” said Andrius Tursa, an expert at political risk consultancy Teneo.

Bulgaria's protracted political deadlock, largely due to personal feuds between the leaders of its two largest coalitions, has forced the country to delay its goal of joining the eurozone, while a budget bill for 2023 remains suspended.

Bulgarian voters are tired of their politicians' inability to put aside their differences and work together to tackle inflation and root out corruption. Photo: FMT

Uncertainty has also hampered Bulgaria's ability to tap European Union (EU) pandemic recovery funds, and analysts and voters fear the unclear outcome of the April 2 general election could lead to another election being held later this year.

Bulgarian voters have grown tired of their politicians' inability to put aside their differences and work together to build a government capable of solving the cost of living crisis and stamping out rampant corruption.

“Finally, a government has to be formed because we have been holding elections for two years now. Public funds are being depleted by financing these elections, while these funds could be used for completely different purposes,” Shishman Shishmanov, a 30-year-old financial broker, said on April 2.

The PP-DB reform coalition, which includes the PP led by former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and the Bulgarian Democratic Party (DB), accuses Borissov and his GERB party of allowing widespread corruption in the EU's poorest member state during their decade-long rule that ended in April 2021, something Borissov denies.

GERB Party leader Boyko Borisov (left) speaks to a voter outside a polling station in Sofia, Bulgaria, April 2, 2023. Photo: The National News

For some voters, Borissov, a veteran politician, could help restore some measure of stability to Bulgaria amid soaring inflation and geopolitical concerns over the conflict in Ukraine. But the PP-DB bloc has so far ruled out a coalition with GERB.

Both Mr Borissov and Mr Petkov want Bulgaria – a NATO member with close historical and cultural ties to Russia – to maintain its pro-Ukraine stance.

For much of the past two years, Bulgaria has been run by interim governments appointed by President Rumen Radev – an independent politician who is relatively friendly to Russia.

The official final results of the April 2 election are expected to be announced no later than April 6. President Radev said he would quickly invite the leaders of whichever political party won the most votes to start coalition talks .

Minh Duc (According to Reuters, ABC News)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/nguoi-dan-bulgaria-met-moi-vi-bau-cu-a601272.html