Suchergebnisse

This is a study of party development in the post-communist world. Based on extensive fieldwork in Bulgaria and Hungary, as well as aggregate data from twelve post-communist states, this study provides an explanation of the behaviour of parties since 1990, and offer new insights into the party behaviour in the future.

AbstractIn 2023, Bulgaria saw the first regular, politically accountable, Cabinet after two years of caretaker cabinets following early elections in April. The election saw Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (Grazhdani za evropeysko razvitie na Bulgaria, GERB) emerge as the plurality winner but without a clear majority, and a coalition government between GERB and We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria (PP‐DB) materialized. Seen as an artificially cobbled‐together creation, the Cabinet faced increasing opposition and two failed no‐confidence votes. A constitutional amendment in late 2023 limited the president's power to appoint caretaker cabinets. Bulgaria remained divided on its stance toward Russia and nationalism, and political apathy rose, casting doubt on future stability.

AbstractThe data entry reviews the major political developments in Bulgaria in 2022, including the governmental crisis of May–June 2022, the early elections in October 2022, the failure to form a new Cabinet in the last months of 2022, and the continuing de facto rule of President Radev. It also discusses the main issues in Bulgarian politics, including the position of GERB (i.e., Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) in the political process, the Bulgarian ambivalent position on the Russian‐Ukrainian war, and the impact of the war on energy prices and general economic development in the country.

Abstract2021 was a turbulent political year in Bulgaria. Event‐wise, it saw three rounds of legislative elections, one presidential election, two caretaker cabinets and a lot of institutional struggles. In terms of results, 2021 saw the end of Citizens for a European Development of Bulgaria/Grazhdani za evropeysko razvitie na Bulgaria (GERB) dominance in political life, challenges to the links between the state and economic strongmen established during its government, and a new, reform‐minded, coalition Cabinet taking power. New parties made an entrance on the legislative scene: There Is Such a People/Ima takuv narod (ITN) led by Slavi Trifonov won one election (July) and then lost the next one (November), when a brand new party We Continue the Change/Prodalzhavame promyanata (PP) won a plurality of votes. Another surprising outcome was the acceptance of the Bulgarian Socialists/BSP za Balgariya (BSP) as a legitimate coalition partner after July 2021. The year also saw an inconsistent pattern of anti‐Covid‐19 policies, low vaccination and high death rates.