Bulgaria elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature . The president is elected for a five-year term directly by the people. The National Assembly Narodno Sabranie ) has 240 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies with a 4% threshold. Bulgaria has a multi-party system, in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each to form governments.
National legislatures [ edit ]
Legislatures Term Seats
Constituent Assembly
10.02.1879-16.04.1879
231
1 Grand National Assembly
17.04.1879-26.06.1879
231
1 Ordinary National Assembly
21.10.1879-24.11.1879
158
2 Ordinary National Assembly
23.03.1880-18.12.1880
172
2 Grand National Assembly
01.07.1881
307
3 Ordinary National Assembly
10.12.1882-25.12.1883
47
4 Ordinary National Assembly
27.06.1884-06.09.1886
195/286
3 Grand National Assembly
19.10.1886-03.08.1887
493
5 Ordinary National Assembly
15.10.1887-17.12.1889
285
6 Ordinary National Assembly
15.10.1890-15.12.1892
276
4 Grand National Assembly
03.05.1893-17.05.1893
577
7 Ordinary National Assembly
15.10.1893-21.12.1893
145
8 Ordinary National Assembly
15.10.1894-04.02.1896
149
9 Ordinary National Assembly
01.12.1896-19.12.1898
159
10 Ordinary National Assembly
16.05.1899-29.11.1900
169
11 Ordinary National Assembly
22.02.1901-23.12.1901
166
12 Ordinary National Assembly
22.04.1902-31.03.1903
188
13 Ordinary National Assembly
02.11.1903-22.12.1907
189
14 Ordinary National Assembly
15.06.1908-15.02.1911
203
5 Grand National Assembly
09.06.1911-09.07.1911
414
15 Ordinary National Assembly
15.10.1911-23.07.1913
213
16 Ordinary National Assembly
19.12.1913-31.12.1913
204
17 Ordinary National Assembly
20.03.1914-15.04.1919
257
18 Ordinary National Assembly
02.10.1919-20.02.1920
237
19 Ordinary National Assembly
15.04.1920-11.03.1923
232
20 Ordinary National Assembly
21.05.1923-11.06.1923
245
21 Ordinary National Assembly
09.12.1923-15.04.1927
267
22 Ordinary National Assembly
19.06.1927-18.04.1931
275
23 Ordinary National Assembly
20.08.1931-19.05.1934
283
24 Ordinary National Assembly
22.05.1938-27.04.1939
160
25 Ordinary National Assembly
24.02.1940-23.08.1944
160
26 Ordinary National Assembly
15.12.1945-28.09.1946
279
6 Grand National Assembly
07.11.1946-21.10.1949
465(375)
1(27) National Assembly
17.01.1950-02.11.1953
239
2(28) National Assembly
14.01.1954-11.12.1957
249
3(29) National Assembly
13.01.1958-04.11.1961
254
4(30) National Assembly
15.03.1962-08.12.1965
321
5(31) National Assembly
11.03.1966-18.05.1971
416
6(32) National Assembly
07.07.1971-09.03.1976
400
7(33) National Assembly
15.06.1976-07.04.1981
400
8(34) National Assembly
16.06.1981-21.03.1986
400
9(35) National Assembly
17.06.1986-03.04.1990
400
7 Grand National Assembly
10.07.1990-02.10.1991
400
36 National Assembly
04.11.1991-17.10.1994
240
37 National Assembly
12.01.1995-13.02.1997
240
38 National Assembly
07.05.1997-19.04.2001
240
39 National Assembly
05.07.2001-17.06.2005
240
40 National Assembly
11.07.2005- 27.06.2009
240
41 National Assembly
14.07.2009–14.03.2013
240
42 National Assembly
21.05.2013-06.08.2014
240
43 National Assembly
27.10.2014-Present
240
Parliamentary elections [ edit ] Parliamentary elections have been held in Bulgaria since 1879. There was a period when partisan politics was banned from 1934 to 1944; in the wake of the Bulgarian coup d'état of 1934 and the sequential personal rule of Tsar Boris III . There was also period of single party system between 1945 and 1989, during the People's Republic of Bulgaria , during which only candidates sanctioned by authorities could run. This, in practice, gave the Bulgarian Communist Party and its collaborators a monopoly on power.
Until 1945 there was no universal suffrage for the women. The table below show the elections since 1990, when the government became a democratic republic.
All elections since 1990 have had 240 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies with a 4% threshold. The two elections that differed from this model was the 1990 Grand National Assembly election, where 400 representatives were elected: half by proportional representation and half by first-past-the-post voting . The other exception was the 2009 election when 209 representatives were elected by proportional representation and 31 through First Past the Post; seats corresponding to the provinces and the largest cities.
A petition was introduced into the Bulgarian Parliament on 10 March 2013 by an Initiative Committee presided by professor Georgi Bliznashki on proposed changes to the electoral code of Bulgaria.[ 1] [ 2] first-past-the-post voting alongside proportional representation , making voting compulsory and introducing electronic voting .[ 1] [ 3] [ 2] [ 4]
Recent elections [ edit ]
Distribution of votes by constituency, 2013 election
e • d Summary of the 2013 National Assembly of Bulgaria election results :
Party
Votes
%
+/–
Seats
+/–
GERB 1,081,605
30.54
-9.16
97
−20
Coalition for Bulgaria 942,541
26.61
+8.91
84
+44
Movement for Rights and Freedoms 400,466
11.31
-2.69
36
-1
Attack 258,481
7.30
-2.10
23
+2
National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria 131,169
3.70
new 0
new
Bulgaria for Citizens Movement 115,190
3.25
new 0
new
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria 103,638
2.93
—
0
-5
IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement 66,803
1.89
new 0
new
Lider 61,482
1.74
-1.56
0
0
Order, Law and Justice 59,145
1.67
-2.43
0
-10
Center –Freedom and Dignity57,611
1.63
new 0
new
Union of Democratic Forces 48,681
1.38
—
0
-9
Others
124,886
—
—
0
—
Invalid votes
90,047
—
—
—
—
Votes cast (turnout: %) 3,541,745 51.33 — — —
Registred voters
6,919,260
—
—
—
—
Source: Electoral Commission of Bulgaria
Distribution of votes by constituency, 2009 election
e • d Summary of the 2009 National Assembly of Bulgaria election results :
Party
Votes
%
+/–
Seats
+/–
GERB 1,678,583
39.7
new 117
new
Coalition for Bulgaria 748,114
17.7
−13.3
40
−42
Movement for Rights and Freedoms 592,381
14.0
+1.2
38
+3
Attack 395,707
9.4
+1.3
21
±0
Blue Coalition 285,671
6.8
−7.3
15
−22
Order, Law and Justice 174,570
4.1
new 10
new
Lider 137,795
3.3
new —
—
National Movement for Stability and Progress 127,470
3.0
−16.9
—
−53
The Greens 21,841
0.5
new —
—
For the Homeland
11,524
0.3
—
—
—
Bulgarian Left Coalition
8,762
0.2
—
—
—
Union of the Patriotic Forces
6,426
0.2
—
—
—
Social Democrats
5,004
0.1
—
—
—
Bulgarian New Democracy 3,813
0.1
—
—
—
The Other Bulgaria
3,455
0.1
—
—
—
Party of the Liberal Alternative and Peace
2,828
0.1
—
—
—
Union of the Bulgarian Patriots
2,175
0.1
—
—
—
National Movement for the Salvation of the Fatherland 1,874
0.0
—
—
—
Total valid votes 4,226,194 100.00 — 240 —
Invalid votes
97,387
2.25
—
—
—
Votes cast (turnout: 60.20%) 4,323,581 100.00 — — —
Registred voters
7,129,965
—
—
—
—
Source: Bulgarian Parliament Electoral Commission of Bulgaria
Distribution of votes by constituency, 2005 election
e • d Summary of the 2005 National Assembly of Bulgaria election results :
Party
Votes
%
Seats
+/−
Coalition for Bulgaria 1,129,196
31.0
82
+34
National Movement Simeon II 725,314
19.9
53
−67
Movement for Rights and Freedoms 467,400
12.8
34
+13
National Union Attack 296,848
8.1
21
+21
United Democratic Forces 280,323
7.7
20
−31
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria 234,788
6.4
17
+17
People's Union 189,268
5.2
13
+13
Others
324,050
8.8
0
-
Total valid votes 3,648,177 100.0 240 -
Invalid votes
99,616
Votes cast (turnout: 55.8%)
3,747,793
Registered voters in the main list
6,720,941
Source: Electoral Commission of Bulgaria and Adam Carr's Electoral Archive
Presidential election [ edit ] Presidential elections are held since 1992. The last were held in 2011.
e • d Summary of the 2011 Bulgarian presidential election results :
Candidate
Party
First round
Second round
Votes
%
Votes
%
Rosen Plevneliev GERB 1,349,380
40.11
1,698,136
52.58
Ivaylo Kalfin Bulgarian Socialist Party 974,300
28.96
1,531,193
47.42
Meglena Kuneva Initiative committee
470,808
14.00
Volen Siderov Attack 122,466
3.64
Stefan Solakov
National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria 84,205
2.50
Rumen Hristov
Union of Democratic Forces 65,761
1.95
Atanas Semov
Order, Law and Justice 61,797
1.84
Svetoslav Vitkov
Initiative committee
54,125
1.61
Sali Ibrayim
National Movement Unity
41,837
1.24
Krasimir Karakachanov
IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement 33,236
0.99
Aleksey Petrov
Initiative committee
31,613
0.94
Maria Kapon
United People's Party
30,665
0.91
Nikolay Nenchev
Bulgarian Agrarian National Union 9,827
0.29
Pavel Chernev
Party for the People of the Nation
8,081
0.24
Ventsislav Yosifov
Initiative committee
7,021
0.21
Dimitar Kutsarov
Initiative committee
6,989
0.21
Andrey Chorbanov
Bulgarian Democratic Unity
6,340
0.19
Nikolay Vasilev
Initiative committee
5,633
0.17
Total valid votes 3,364,084 100 3,229,329 100
Invalid/blank votes
229,844
6.40
104,837
3.14
Votes cast
3,593,928
100
3,334,166
100
Registered voters/turnout
6,873,589
52.29
6,910,491
48.25
Source: Electoral Commission of Bulgaria
e • d Summary of the 2006 Bulgarian presidential election results :
Candidate
Party
First round
Second round
Votes
%
Votes
%
Georgi Parvanov Bulgarian Socialist Party 1,780,119
64.047%
2,050,488
75.948%
Volen Siderov Attack 597,175
21.486%
649,387
24.052%
Nedelcho Beronov Union of Democratic Forces 271,078
9.753%
Georgi Markov
Order, Law and Justice 75,478
2.716%
Petar Beron
Initiative committee
21,812
0.785%
Grigor Velev
Аll in one Bulgaria
19,857
0.714%
Lyuben Petrov
Initiative committee
13,854
0.498%
Total / turnout2,856,734 (44.3%)100.000% 2,757,441 (42.8%)100.000%
e • d Summary of the 2001 Bulgarian presidential election results :
Candidate
Party
First round
Second round
Votes
%
Votes
%
Georgi Parvanov Bulgarian Socialist Party 1,032,665
36.4%
2,043,443
54.1%
Petar Stoyanov Union of Democratic Forces 991,680
34.9%
1,731,676
45.9%
Bogomil Bonev Citizens' Party of Bulgaria
546,801
19.3%
Reneta Indzhova Democratic Alliance
139,680
4.9%
George Ganchev Bulgarian Business Block 95,481
3.4%
Petar Beron
Union for Bulgaria
31,394
1.1%
Total valid votes / turnout2,850,297 (41.6%)100.0% 3,784,036 (54.9%)100.0%
Source: President of Bulgaria and Demetra/BAN
Summary of the 1996 Bulgarian presidential election results :
Candidate
Party
First round
Second round
Votes
%
Votes
%
Petar Stoyanov Union of Democratic Forces 1,889,825
44.1
2,502,517
59.7
Ivan Marazov Bulgarian Socialist Party 1,158,204
27.0
1,687,242
40.3
George Ganchev Bulgarian Business Bloc 937,686
21.9
Aleksander Tomov Independent
135,571
3.2
Hristo Boychev
Movement for the Protection of Retired, Unemployed and Poor People
57,668
1.3
Vera Ilieva
Bulgarian Communist Party 34,004
0.8
Slavomir Tsankov
Union of Democratic Forces and Movements "Era 3"
22,724
0.5
Ivan Stoyanov
Democratic Party in Bulgaria
14,659
0.3
Mincho Minchev
Patriotic Party of Labour
13,567
0.3
Mitko Dimitrov
Alliance for the Preservation of Bulgaria's Wealth
7,793
0.2
Lyubomir Stefanov
Alternative Socialist Alliance 6,056
0.1
Dimitar Markovski
Free Cooperative Party
5,823
0.1
Iliyan Nikolov
Bulgarian National Ecological Party Veliko Tarnovo
4,920
0.1
Invalid/blank votes
28,662
–
25,412
–
Total 4,317,161 (63.3%)100 4,215,145 (61.8%)100
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, University of Essex
Summary of the 1992 Bulgarian presidential election results :
Candidate
Party
First round
Second round
Votes
%
Votes
%
Zhelyu Zhelev Union of Democratic Forces 2,261,913
44.4
2,738,436
52.8
Velko Valkanov Bulgarian Socialist Party 1,546,843
30.4
2,443,435
47.2
George Ganchev Bulgarian Business Bloc 853,044
16.8
Blagovest Sendov-Ognyan Saparev Independent
113,897
2.2
Other candidates
315,482
6.2
Invalid/blank votes
48,712
–
24,382
–
Total 5,139,891 (75.4%)100 5,206,253 (75.2%)100
Source: Nohlen & Stöver
European Parliament elections [ edit ] Referendums [ edit ] Four nationwide referendums have been held in Bulgaria since it gained its De Facto independence in 1878:
On 19 November 1922 the question was if criminals from the three previous wars were to be prosecuted;[ 5]
On 8 September 1946 the question was if Bulgaria was to remain a monarchy to become a republic;[ 6]
On 16 May 1971 the nation's approval of a new constitution was asked;[ 7]
On 27 January 2013 the question was if Bulgaria should develop its nuclear power by building a new nuclear power plant.[ 8] [ 9]
Several regional referendums have been held as well.
Local elections [ edit ]
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See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] External links [ edit ]
Elections in Europe
Sovereign states
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Other entities
