Bulgaria likely ahead of fifth parliamentary election in two years

01/20/2023 18:08 (act. 01/20/2023 18:10)

A new election is on the horizon in Bulgaria: it is likely to be the fifth parliamentary election in two years. The Socialists most recently commissioned by head of state Rumen Radev have failed to find a majority in parliament to form a government, party leader Kornelia Ninova explained on Friday. Ninowa wants to officially announce this to the president at a meeting on Tuesday.

After the early parliamentary elections in October 2022, the third and, according to the constitution, last possible attempt to form a new government failed, making new elections necessary. The country is currently governed by a transitional cabinet.

Before the socialists, the two strongest parties had already failed to form a government due to lack of a parliamentary majority – the center-right GERB, which won the elections on October 2, 2022, and the liberal PP, second strongest in the former -Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. Under the constitution, President Radev must now dissolve parliament and call another snap parliamentary election – likely for late March or early April.

Radew will host Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (both ÖVP) on Monday.