site.btaUPDATED Parliament Fails to Elect Chair at Sixth Attempt

MPs' sixth attempt to elect a chairperson of the 51st National Assembly failed on Wednesday. Raya Nazaryan of GERB-UDF and Silvi Kirilov of There Is Such a People (TISP) went to a second round of voting.

Nazaryan received 69 votes in favor, 147 against, and four abstentions. Kirilov got 100 votes in favor, 101 against, and 16 abstentions.

In the first round of voting on Wednesday, Nazaryan garnered 69 votes in favor, 164 against, and five abstentions. Kirilov got 66 votes in favor, 115 against, and 57 abstentions. Natalia Kiselova of BSP-United Left received 50 votes in favor, 113 against, and 75 abstentions. Petar Petrov of Vazrazhdane received 46 votes in favor, 128 against, and 64 abstentions.

Following the vote, Silvi Kirilov, who chaired the inaugural sitting of the 51st Parliament as the oldest MP, suspended Wednesday's sitting and said that it would resume at 11 a.m. on Thursday.