European Commissioner steps down to form Bulgarian government

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European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel will step down from her duties to try and form a coalition government in Bulgaria. /Yves Herman/Reuters

European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, a member of Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party, has been given a mandate to form a new cabinet following last month's elections in her home country.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev met Gabriel, who is European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, to formally give her the mandate. Gabriel now has seven days to see if she can get enough support to break Bulgaria's political deadlock.

Gabriel's GERB party came first in elections on April 2, winning 69 seats in the 240-seat parliament, meaning it is heading negotiations to form a government if it can find coalition partners.

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A pro-Western bloc led by We Continue the Change (PP) won 64 seats.

On Sunday, Gabriel said she would propose a government with a one-year term.

Last year's election in October 2022 also saw the GERB party come out ahead but its politicians were unable to forge a coalition.

The political impasse over the past two years has meant Bulgaria had to delay its target date for adopting the euro, and it has yet to approve a budget for 2023.

The uncertainty has also hurt Bulgaria's ability to take advantage of the EU's post-pandemic recovery funds, with voters fearing further complications could lead to yet another election later this year.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen thanked Gabriel for her service and said that Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager and Vice President Margaritis Schinas would take over her work.

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Source(s): Reuters