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According to the polls, the conservative party Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, has been victorious in this renewal of Parliament. Although, that 25% obtained is lower than the one reached four years ago. In addition, an increase in votes in favor of other anti-establishment and anti-corruption political parties could lead to problems staying in command. Without a government majority, this is the picture.
The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Boyko Borissov, has won an election for the fifth time in a row and without being harmed by his management of the pandemic, corruption or citizen fatigue. But it is not a resounding success, because he will have difficulties to stay in power, after an increase in the votes in favor of the anti-system and anti-corruption parties that want him out of government.
After the general elections on Sunday April 4 to renew Parliament, polls show that his center-right GERB party occupies the first place in number of seats. However, it achieves it with only 25% of the votes, a significant reduction (seven points less) compared to the 33.5% it reached in the last elections of 2017.
The ruling and conservative party has seen a leak of support in favor of the opposition. Behind him is the Socialist Party, with 17.6%; thirdly, the new party protests There Is Such a People that, after a populist message campaign against corruption, reached 15% of the vote. At least four other political movements rejecting Borissov are also forecast to enter the legislature.
In the rear is the current coalition partner of the GERB Government, the nationalist VMRO party, which is likely to cross the 4% threshold to enter the legislature, following an aggressive campaign of anti-Roma, anti-LGBTI and anti-Roma rhetoric. North Macedonia.
If these results are ratified, the Bulgarian premier’s party would reach 68 seats, 27 less than it now has, among the 240 seats in total that the Parliament has.
The prime minister is then left with a difficult outlook to form a new government. A minimum of 121 seats is required to obtain an absolute majority and political analysts anticipate that he will have difficulty negotiating the endorsement of other political partners to allow him to remain in office.
After being in power almost uninterruptedly for a decade, the GERB party has seen citizen support eroded by a series of scandals accusing it of protecting the country’s upper class, sparking protests since last year.
Fragmented votes, but clear opposition to Borissov
There is no clear winner that will form the new cabinet. Up to six other parties are expected to win seats in Parliament. “It is the absence of an alternative due to the fragmented and unconvincing opposition that explains the hegemony of GERB,” explained political analyst Antony Todorov.
With the results known so far, the Socialists would obtain around 50 seats; the populist group Existe Tal Pueblo has about 30 positions; while the party of the Turkish minority Movement for Rights and Freedoms would reach about 30 other positions.
The right-wing Democratic Bulgaria coalition, which has delivered an anti-corruption speech and whose leader Hristo Ivanov encouraged protests against the current government, would end up with about 13 seats in parliament.
Despite the dispersion of votes, the vast majority of political parties entering Parliament maintain a firm rejection against the Bulgarian prime minister.
“We are seeing the outlines of a new Bulgaria, in which Borissov can continue to win elections with his huge administrative and financial resources, but cannot hold on to power,” Ivanov said.
President Rumen Radev, a critic of Borissov and an ally of the Socialists, said that Bulgaria needs new faces and ideas. “These elections will be the first step towards the return to normality, to the laws and rules,” he said after Sunday’s vote.
Some citizens agree with this opinion. “I hope that young people come into government to make a difference,” said Stela Georgieva, 78.
Corruption, the main trial against Borissov
The Borissov government led a 36% increase in the average monthly salary, has kept public debt low and has secured a lobby to join the euro currency.
But its inability to tackle the country’s common corruption and reform the judiciary brought thousands of protesters to the streets for several months in 2020.
Citizens accused their prime minister of reaching out to so-called local oligarchs and channeling aid from the European Union (EU) to companies close to his GERB party, accusations he rejects.
Bulgaria is considered the most corrupt state in the EU, according to Transparency International. In addition, a recent US State Department report on human rights highlights serious problems with judicial independence and freedom of the press in the nation.
With Reuters, AFP and EFE
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source https://pledgetimes.com/bulgaria-the-prime-ministers-party-wins-the-elections-with-difficulties-to-form-a-government/
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