site.btaUPDATED Parliament Fails to Elect Chair on Eighth Attempt, Next Try on Dec. 4

The Bulgarian National Assembly remains in a legislative deadlock after the eighth attempt to elect a chair failed on Friday.

Electing a chair is a critical step for resuming parliamentary functions. The process has been marred by deep political divisions and shifting alliances among parties, fuelled by disputes over leadership nominations and accusations of undue influence.

The Eighth Vote

The eighth vote culminated in a run-off between Natalia Kiselova (BSP-United Left) and Silvi Kirilov (TISP), with neither candidate securing the required majority. The stalemate persists as parties prepare for a ninth attempt, scheduled for December 4, 2024.

GERB-UDF Withdraws Nazaryan

First GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov told reporters that the GERB-UDF coalition is withdrawing Raya Nazaryan’s nomination. With Nazaryan out of the picture, there were three candidates left. Vazrazhdane again nominated Petar Petrov. There Is Such a People (TISP) nominated Silvi Kirilov and BSP-United Left nominated Natalia Kiselova.

First-Round Results

In the first round, Natalia Kiselova received 87 votes in favour, 60 against and 90 abstained. She was supported by MPs from GERB-UDF and BSP-United Left. 65 MPs voted for Silvi Kirilov, 104 were against and 68 abstained. Petar Petrov was supported by 45 MPs, 137 were against and 55 abstained.

Run-off Vote

The National Assembly resumed its work, with Kiselova and Kirilov reaching the run-off vote.

Kiselova received 87 votes in favour, 61 votes against, and 88 abstentions. Bozhidar Bozhanov of CC-DB requested a re-vote, in which Kiselova received 87 votes in favour, 60 votes against, and 90 abstentions. Kirilov received 99 votes in favour, 112 against, and 26 abstentions. TISP requested a re-vote, in which Kirilov got 99 votes in favour, 115 against, and 23 abstentions. Ultimately neither of them received the necessary number of votes in favour.

MRF-New Beginning Boycotts the Run-off

During the break before the run-off vote, MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski told journalists in Parliament that his coalition will not participate in the run-off for the chairperson of the 51st National Assembly on Friday. He also called on the parties to "resolve the issue" with the election.

Peevski argued that Petkov and Vasilev’s goal was to stay in Parliament at all costs, hiding and covering up their robberies.

“There is no longer any thought for the people. I call, if there is any sense left, for something to happen today, to get over with the roulette wheel and to go to elections, because people are watching what MPs are doing. MPs are becoming a disgrace - we will not participate in this,” Peevski said.

Peevski’s Criticism of CC-DB

“Let no one hide what Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) did with Bozhidar Bozhanov, Nadezhda Yordanova, Atanas Atanassov,” Peevski said, noting that Wednesday CC-DB "voted together with the pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane."

“All their supporters should know it and be ashamed of their MPs,” Peevski added.

CC-DB’s Response

After the unsuccessful run-off vote, Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition responded to Peevski's criticism. Co-Chair Kiril Petkov told reporters CC-DB will not vote in favour of National Assembly Chair candidates of any party that has not endorsed their declaration for isolation of Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski.

On October 29, Petkov called for a "cordon sanitaire" (sanitary cordon) around Peevski's party, namely for the other parliamentary groups in the 51st National Assembly to sign a declaration that they will not work with MRF-New Beginning in the future parliament in any form.

"Our declaration should be signed by every party that wants to nominate a Parliament Chair nominee and receive our support," Petkov said.

Atanas Atanassov, leader of the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria party which is part of the CC-DB coalition, stressed that, following the votes on Friday, new talks should be held between the parliamentary political forces, and new nominees should be put forward.

Petkov’s Criticism of Borissov

Continue the Change (CC) co-leader Kiril Petkov spoke to bTV later on Friday and had some criticism towards Borissov's move to withdraw Raya Nazaryan.

"One week [GERB leader Boyko] Borisov tells us "I want Gen. [Atanas] Atanassov to be chair". This dissuades the clear decision to vote for Silvi Kirilov [There Is Such a People] among us. Then we understand that it is a "smokescreen" and the group votes together. This week they are saying it should be [BSP's candidate] Kiselova, [and] they are instilling hesitation among colleagues in the BSP," Petkov said.

The only reason for the actions of both Boyko Borissov and MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski is the election of Borislav Sarafov as Prosecutor General on January 16, according to Petkov. In his words, after one more such week, the chances that Sarafov will be stopped by changes in the Judiciary Act will dwindle drastically.

Kiril Petkov described as nervous the behaviour of Delyan Peevski and the reluctance to give breaks in Parliament, so that some kind of agreement could have been reached on the election of a National Assembly chair. Petkov cited this as an argument why CC continues to insist on electing the oldest MP [Silvi Kirilov] who would not be under the influence of Peevski.

Vazrazhdane’s Reaction

Speaking to the press after the run-off vote, Vazrazhdane Leader Kostadinov said Delyan Peevski is the de facto current leader of CC-DB.

"Actually, at the moment Peevski is leading Democratic Bulgaria. The actions of Democratic Bulgaria are in line with the positions of Peevski. The truth is that if there should be a cordon sanitaire, it should be around them and around Peevski, because they act together,"

According to Kostadinov, at the moment when the election is close to the end, Democratic Bulgaria is doing so to serve Peevski.

"More and more I have the feeling that we are not in Parliament, but in a psychiatric asylum. You can see for yourself what happened today - schizophrenic behaviour on the part of Democratic Bulgaria once again, with their votes today there could have been an chair of parliament", Kostadinov said, adding that yesterday they voted one way, and today in a completely different way.

TISP's Slavi Trifonov

There Is Such a People (TISP) leader Slavi Trifonov said in a Facebook post Friday evening that Silvi Kirilov will be his party's nomination for Parliament chair once again next week. He described this move as a lifeline that offers a solution to the political crisis. 

Next Steps

The next attempt to elect a National Assembly Chair will take place during a parliamentary sitting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 4.