Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Amendments to Electoral Code pass first reading in parliament

Photo: BGNES

With 98 votes in favor from GERB and the United Patriots, 72 - against, and no abstentions, the parliament has adopted at first reading the draft bill of GERB for changes in the Electoral Code.

The changes provide for machine voting in all sections of the country, except for those with less than 300 voters. In the sections with machine voting, there will be an opportunity to vote with the traditional paper ballot. The bill provides for a ban on the formation of polling stations outside the country in case of suspended activity of the foreign representations. It is possible that in case of complicated epidemic situation the election day could be extended to 48 hours, BGNES reports.

With 23 votes in favor, 130 against and 19 abstentions, the MPs rejected the MRF's proposals to drop the "I do not support anyone" box and to lift the requirement for settlement status in local and European elections.

The changes are yet to be discussed at second reading.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Warm and rainy across much of Bugaria

On Tuesday, overnight lows will range from 7°C to 12°C, rising to 12–16°C in eastern Bulgaria and around 9°C in Sofia. It will be a cloudy day with rain, mainly in the north and west of the country, which will continue into the night towards Wednesday...

published on 11/17/25 7:05 PM
Photo: National Seismological Center at the National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography - BAS

3.5-magnitute earthquake in the region of Blagoevgrad

According to data from the National Seismological Center at the National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography - BAS, at 16:48 an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.5 was recorded in the area of ​​the town of Simitli, near Blagoevgrad. The..

published on 11/17/25 6:00 PM

Homeless people in Sofia are the focus of a European study

There are significantly fewer homeless people in Sofia in comparison to major European cities. This is shown by data released today from an international study under an international project covering 35 European cities, funded by the European..

published on 11/17/25 5:44 PM