Bulgarian parliamentary election, July 2021

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Publication Date 2021
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Summary:

Information Guide concerning the legislative election held in Bulgaria on 11 July 2021.

Further information:

The 240 members of the National Assembly are elected by closed list proportional representation from 31 multi-member constituencies ranging in size from 4 to 16 seats. The electoral threshold is 4% for parties.

This snap election was called by Bulgaria's President following the inability to find a new cabinet with a parliamentary majority as a result of a parliamentary election held in April 2021. A caretaker government was appointed pending for the meantime. The electoral campaign reflected the same issues as in the previous one, in particularly when it comes to the friction between electorate and the political elites and successive corruption cases and instances of misuse of public funds becoming known to the public.

Pre-election polls suggested an approximation in preference between the governing, centre-right GERB party and the anti-elite, populist ITN party. Indeed, the latter managed to achieve a narrow victory (23.8%). GERB was second (23.2%) and centre-left BSP party (13.2%).

Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
Wikipedia: July 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_2021_Bulgarian_parliamentary_election
IFES: Election Guide: Election for Bulgarian National Assembly (11 July 2021) https://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3742/
Robert Schuman Foundation: EEM: Analysis, 11/06/2021: Bulgarians go to the polls again on 11 July to elect their MPs https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/eem/1921-bulgarians-go-to-the-polls-again-on-11-july-to-elect-their-mps
IFES: FAQs, 30/06/2021: Elections in Bulgaria: 2021 Repeat Parliamentary Elections https://www.ifes.org/faqs/elections-bulgaria-2021-repeat-parliamentary-elections
Balkan Insight: Analysis, 08/07/2021: Bulgaria’s Knife-Edge Election Could Deliver Political Earthquake https://balkaninsight.com/2021/07/08/bulgarias-knife-edge-election-could-deliver-political-earthquake/
IPS Journal, 08/07/2021: Who will challenge Bulgaria’s strongman? https://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/democracy-and-society/bulgarias-strongman-5291/
Emerging Europe: News & Analysis, 09/07/2021: Bulgarian election unlikely to end political stalemate https://emerging-europe.com/news/bulgarian-election-unlikely-to-end-political-stalemate/
The Sofia Globe, 10/07/2021: Bulgaria’s July 11 2021 parliamentary elections: Factfile https://sofiaglobe.com/2021/07/10/bulgarias-july-11-2021-parliamentary-elections-factfile/
Euro|topics, July 2021: Bulgaria election: low turnout and no clear winner https://www.eurotopics.net/en/264290/
Robert Schuman Foundation: EEM: Results, 13/07/2021: Boyko Borissov's "Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria" and Slavi Trifonov's "Such a People Exist" neck and neck after the parliamentary elections https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/eem/1922-boyko-borissov-s-citizens-for-european-development-of-bulgaria-and-slavi-trifonov-s-such-a-people-exist-neck-and-neck-after-the-parliamentary-elections

News
BNR News: Parliamentary elections in Bulgaria https://bnr.bg/en/elections-2021/broadcast
Kathimerini, 06/05/2021: Bulgaria’s president to call July election, appoint technocrat interim government https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1160579/bulgaria-s-president-to-call-july-election-appoint-technocrat-interim-government/
Euronews, 14/06/2021: Bulgaria prepares for second General Election in three months https://www.euronews.com/2021/06/14/bulgaria-prepares-for-second-general-election-in-three-months
Politico, 15/06/2021: Bulgaria sinks under wave of pre-election scandals https://www.politico.eu/article/bulgaria-sinks-under-pre-election-scandals-corruption-gerb-boyko-borissov/
EurActiv, 01/07/2021: Graft scandals weigh on upcoming Bulgarian elections https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/graft-scandals-weigh-on-upcoming-bulgarian-elections/
EurActiv, 09/07/2021: Slavi the showman in pole position in Bulgarian election race https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/slavi-the-showman-in-pole-position-in-bulgarian-election-race/
Deutsche Welle, 10/07/2021: New elections in Bulgaria: Tired of lies, young voters want 'green' solutions https://p.dw.com/p/3wHl4
Reuters, 11/07/2021: No clear winner emerges from Bulgarian parliamentary election https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/bulgarians-vote-second-national-election-3-months-amid-anger-over-graft-2021-07-11/
Politico, 11/07/2021: No clear winner in Bulgarian election https://www.politico.eu/article/no-clear-winner-in-bulgarian-election-exit-poll/
RFE/RL, 11/07/2021: Bulgarian Anti-Elite Party Narrowly Leading Borisov's GERB, Exit Polls Show https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-election-borisov-corruption-gerb-trifonov/31352545.html
VOA News, 11/07/2021: No Clear Winner Emerges in Bulgarian Parliamentary Election https://www.voanews.com/europe/no-clear-winner-emerges-bulgarian-parliamentary-election
TRT World, 11/07/2021: Singer-turned-politician Trifonov ahead in Bulgarian election: exit poll https://www.trtworld.com/europe/singer-turned-politician-trifonov-ahead-in-bulgarian-election-exit-poll-48282
Euronews, 12/07/2021: No clear winner in Bulgaria amid surge in votes for anti-establishment party https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/09/bulgarians-head-to-the-polls-for-the-second-time-in-3-months-here-s-what-to-expect
France24, 12/07/2021: Ex-PM Borissov holds slim lead in Bulgaria's election as count continues https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210712-parliamentary-elections-in-bulgaria-fail-to-produce-clear-winner
Associated Press, 12/07/2021: Anti-elite party earns tight win in Bulgarian elections https://apnews.com/article/europe-government-and-politics-elections-bulgaria-general-elections-99fe3f6459664e8b61f93c40b9b2e7f8
TASS Agency, 15/07/2021: Bulgaria’s There Is Such a People party wins early parliamentary polls https://tass.com/world/1314203

Official
Official Website of the Bulgarian Central Election Commission https://www.cik.bg/en/
OSCE: ODIHR: Bulgarian Parliamentary Elections, 11 July 2021 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/bulgaria/488956
OSCE: ODIHR: Press Release, 09/06/2021: ODIHR opens election observation mission in Bulgaria https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/488965

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