Wahlen in Bulgarien: Keine Überraschungen

22 Parteien nehmen an der Wahl zum bulgarischen Parlament, die am 25. Juni stattfindet, teil. Aber nur wenige Analysten können politische Unterschiede zwischen ihnen erkennen. Hierüber schreibt Polia Alexandrova in Transitions Online.

Bulgarians have a hard time feeling enthusiastic about the country’s last scheduled general election before it plans to enter the European Union in 2007. 

The 25 June poll will be dominated by four main players: the Coalition for Bulgaria led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the incumbents from the National Movement Simeon II (NDSV), the rightists from the Coalition of United Democratic Forces (ODS), and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Freedoms and Rights (DPS), a junior partner in the present governing coalition.

There’s little difference in the substantive policies these parties have announced should they win the poll, and most analysts expect the Socialists to defeat the NDSV. Few, however, are confident that the BSP would be able to form a stable government.

Twenty-two parties are contesting the 240 seats in the single chamber of Bulgaria’s parliament. Most of these parties were set up during the last four years and represent groups that were involved in the various post-communist governments. Smaller but still significant players here include the Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB) of former prime minister Ivan Kostov, who as head of the Union of Democratic Forces led the country from 1997 until the elections in 2001; and Novoto Vreme, which was recently formed by a splinter group from the incumbent NDSV.

Despite the variety and unpredictability, the left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria is the front-runner, competing on a platform of reform to secure EU entry in 2007. (Bulgaria’s accession treaty, like that of Romania, contains a safeguard clause allowing the EU to delay their entry by one year if they fail to meet certain goals.)

BSP deputy chair Rumen Ovcharov said on 16 June the party would „do all it can“ to meet the EU requirements, especially those concerning the corrupt judicial system. In his words, the Socialists cannot afford to repeat the destructive scenario from 1994, when two years under the leadership of Prime Minister Jan Videnov resulted in the worst economic crisis in the country’s history.

But Bulgarian voters see EU accession as a done deal, which reduces the attractiveness of a pro-EU program. The BSP also promised to withdraw the country’s unit from Iraq if it wins the elections. 

To read the article in full, visit the Transitions Online website.