Bulgarians are headed to the polls on April 2 to elect new members of parliament – again.

The upcoming parliamentary elections will be Bulgaria's fifth in just two years, as political instability and crisis have become the status quo.‌

The two major political parties led by former prime ministers whose governments have collapsed due to political infighting are ahead in the polls. 

Political analysts predict that when all the votes are counted, no party will have a majority in parliament. It could result in another broad and unstable coalition, just like the previous ones that have failed to govern since 2021.

WHO ARE THE MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES?

Party: GERB – Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria 

Leadership: Boyko Borissov 

Brief bio: GERB was the ruling party in Bulgaria from 2009 to 2021. It's a center-right political party headed by the former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. In 2020 Borissov faced a series of corruption allegations. 

In that same year, between July and November, thousands of Bulgarians protested against the government, accusing it of abusing the rule of law and using state institutions for their own benefit.

Borisov and GERB are running on a platform to restore stability; roughly 25 percent of the Bulgarian electorate still supports the party.

Party: PP&DB – We Continue the Change & Democratic Bulgaria 

Leadership: Kiril Petkov, Ansen Vasilev and Hirsto Ivanov 

Brief Bio: This coalition is running on a centrist anti-corruption platform. Petkov, Vasilev and Ivanov were three anti-Borissov government ministers. In the wake of the corruption scandal that shook Bulgaria in 2020, they formed their own political parties. 

Petkov and Vasiliev are both Harvard-educated politicians. In November 2021, the party won 25 percent of the vote and was given the mandate to form a government in December. 

The PP&DB formed a broad coalition with other anti-establishment parties. Following the start of the Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Stefan Yanev was dismissed after he refused to label the conflict as a war. 

In June 2022, the coalition started to break apart when the There is Such a People party, known as the ITN, pulled out of the political pact.

Party: DPS – Movement for Rights and Freedoms

Leadership: Mustafa Karadayi

Brief Bio: The Movement for Rights and Freedoms is considered to be one of the most stable political parties in Bulgaria. It was formed in 1990 after the country's democratic transition a year earlier. 

It represents the Turkish minority in the country and includes ethnic Bulgarians in its leadership. The DPS party is considered to be the third-largest party for the April election.

Party: Revival

Leadership: Kostadin Kostadinov 

Brief Bio: It's a pro-Russian far-right party that's been on the rise since 2020. It runs on an anti-Europe platform calling for Bulgaria to leave the EU. 

It openly supports Moscow and has positioned itself against NATO, calling for Bulgaria to leave the military defense alliance. During the 2021 general election, it gained 13 seats in parliament. In the wake of the Ukraine conflict, the party has gained momentum.

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‌WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?

Ukraine: Polls show 20 percent of voters in Bulgaria will vote for parties that strongly support Russia. The pro-EU parties are warning that the far-right and pro-Russian parties will take Bulgaria away from the Europe and NATO.

Corruption: The anti-corruption political coalition is still trying to keep the GERB and Boyko Borissov out of power. The GERB's influence in some of Bulgaria's institutions has not faded, and Borissov, who was never charged with a crime after the corruption scandal that shook his government, is betting on a comeback.

Pro-Russia and rise of the right: The severe political crisis that has shaken Bulgaria's government is causing an increased number of Bulgarians to doubt that democracy works and be influenced by radical and anti-EU politics.

WHAT ARE THE POLLS SAYING?

The latest polls have GERB and the PP&DB in a tie with 26 percent of the electorate's support. DPS is currently at 14 percent up, ahead of Revival by one point.

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