There will be almost twice as many political parties competing for the votes of Bulgarians during the parliamentary elections on April 4. This has become clear after the end of the registration campaign in the Central Election Commission. The political players are now known but questions remain about the quality of the election campaign and the results of the vote.

"The campaign with compromising materials has already started," director and political campaign expert Nidal Algafari has told BNR. According to him, however, for a long time people in Bulgaria have been looking for an option to stop the battle at a low political level:

"People want to have a clear left space, separated from those who present themselves as such. They want the right to explain what they would do and achieve. They want politicians who are good speakers. Unfortunately, we do not have them with few exceptions. People want politicians who can convey the ideas of the parties.”

For the first time, a coalition appeared on the political scene, whose name radiates aggression - "Stand up! Thugs, Out!" - the project of Maya Manolova and the Toxic Trio, who have been behind the protests against the ruling party since the summer. "They are trying to take advantage of the remnants of negativity and protests because they have become famous for them," Algafari said. In fact, this is one of the few (total of 8 coalitions) that registered for the elections.

"Instead of looking for a coalition, the smaller parties registered on their own," political scientist Parvan Simeonov has told BNR. "This is probably due to two reasons. One is pragmatic - most of them know that they will not pass the 4% barrier needed for participation in parliament and look to keep their state subsidy by passing the 1 percent mark.”

According to the political scientist, the 5 + 2 formula is now on the agenda. "There are five parties that seem as certain in the next parliament - GERB, BSP, There is Such a Nation, MRF and Democratic Bulgaria and two formations have chances of entering parliament in case of good campaigns - these are ‘Stand Up!Thugs, Out!’ and IMRO, which in recent years has taken over the patriotic niche from the United Patriots coalition.”

According to Parvan Simeonov, however, the signs President Rumen Radev, TV presenter Slavi Trifonov and Democratic Bulgaria show by refusing to join various coalitions, are what society called for in the summer. When it comes to Boyko Borissov, a few months ago it was unthinkable to talk about a new cabinet headed by him, now the Prime Minister and leader of the ruling party GERB faces another question:

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"The main question is whether the Bulgarian society will tolerate ‘Borisov 4’ cabinet or he would need to take a step aside. That is where the attempt to clear the lists comes from. This is an attempt to make the parties look a little better. That's the answer to the summer protests."

Observing the main topics on the political agenda, the political scientist draws attention to one more thing: "The feeling of political campaigning through the topic of coronavirus should be dispelled as soon as possible," Simeonov says.

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"I say it again - we are looking for pure values, we are looking for the positive. Because in the summer there was a division and there will be many people who will say they do not want either side, but someone with positive news, someone who can present a project, provide a horizon, clarity. That's what the parties are looking for and that's what the parties are trying to do, but so far most of them are just trying."

Compiled by: Elena Karkalanova /based on interviews by Diana Yankulova and Diana Doncheva, BNR-Horizont/

English: Alexander Markov

Photos: BGNES and library