site.btaNataliya Kiselova, Silvi Kirilov Go to Runoff as Parliament Tries to Elect Leader for 11th Time

Nataliya Kiselova and Silvi Kirilov are going to a runoff as Parliament is trying to elect its leader - for the 11th time since November 11. At the first round of voting, Kiselova was backed by 105 MPs in the 240-seat legislature, and Kirilov by 82 MPs. 

There were two more candidates: Atanas Atanassov of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) and Petar Petrov of Vazrazhdane.

Atanas Atanasov received 56 votes in favour, 95 against and 85 abstentions. He was supported by the CC-DB and the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF).

Nataliya Kiselova received 105 votes in favour, 94 against and 37 abstentions. She was backed by GERB-UDF (without one MP), BSP-United Left and ARF.

Petar Petrov received 63 votes in favour, 134 against and 39 abstentions. He was supported by Vazrazhdane, There Is Such a People and (MECh).

Silvi Kirilov was supported by 82 MPs, 125 were against and 29 abstained. Voting for him were Vazrazhdane, ARF, TISP and MECh.

The CC-DB asked for a 15-minute break before the vote, but Silvi Kirilov, who chaired the meeting, rejected the motion because they had already used their right to ask for a break. He argued that "15 minutes or an hour would not solve the problem".

The BSP then asked for a break and the sitting was suspended for 15 minutes before the second round of voting for Parliament Chair.