Jan 24, 2023
Fifth Election Seeks to Break Bulgaria’s Political Paralysis
Bloomberg News
,(Bloomberg) -- Bulgaria is set to hold a fifth election in two years this April as parties signal they’re looking to break a deadlock that’s hindered the country’s path to the single European currency and has delayed billions of euros in recovery funding.
President Rumen Radev said he will dissolve parliament Feb. 3 and schedule a vote for April 2. His interim governments have led the Balkan state amid a series of inconclusive elections — the last one in October.
“I hope lawmakers will use the remaining time and show that the fight against corruption, the Recovery and Resilience plan and European integration are a real priority and not campaign promises,” he told reporters in Sofia Tuesday.
While opinion polls show no clear majority in sight, some parties — including Gerb, led by long-time Prime Minister Boyko Borissov — signaled last week that they were open to the formation of a technocratic government. Borissov ran the country on and off for more than a decade until 2021, when he lost a vote after anti-corruption protests.
Bulgaria’s political turmoil came amid a storm of mounting problems, including recovery from the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine and Europe’s energy crisis.
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