Early parliamentary elections were held in Bulgaria on 2 April 2023 to elect members of the National Assembly. These were initially scheduled to be held before November 2026; however, as no government was approved by the 48th Parliament, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced in January 2023 that he would call a snap election. The GERB—SDS placed first with 69 seats, closely followed by PP–DB which won 64. Tied for third was the far-right Revival and the minority interests party DPS, with 37 and 36 seats, respectively. ITN also entered the parliament after having fallen out in the 2022 election.
On 15 May President Rumen Radev granted GERB—SDS a mandate to form a government, and the party nominated Bulgaria's European Commissioner, Mariya Gabriel, for prime minister. GERB—SDS sought to form a government with rival PP–DB to end the political deadlock that had resulted in numerous inconclusive elections. Although initially reluctant, with co-leader and former prime minister Kiril Petkov pledging to rule out working with GERB—SDS, the PP–DB later agreed to negotiate; however, the talks between the two parties broke down on 27 May after the leak of a video in which the leaders of the PP–DB expressed their intentions to reduce GERB—SDS' influence within the civil service.
President Radev subsequently handed a mandate on 29 May to the PP–DB to form a government, which nominated Nikolai Denkov for prime minister. Radev recommended Denkov return the mandate due to the video's release, which sparked protests and criticism from PP–DB, arguing the president’s statement was unconstitutional. GERB—SDS agreed to restart negotiations with PP–DB to form a "government of experts." Denkov announced on 2 June that the two parties had reached an agreement on the composition of a cabinet with certain modifications that removed "inflammatory political figures". Parliament voted to approve the new GERB—SDS–PP–DB government on 6 June with Denkov as prime minister.
Background
The National Assembly remained fragmented following the 2022 election, the third snap election since 2021, and no party was able to form a governing coalition. GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) did not have a majority, holding only 103 of the 121 seats needed. Bulgarian Rise (BV) and Revival, which held a combined 39 seats, are considered Eurosceptic and sympathetic to Russia, similarly to the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) with 25 seats. Although generally pro-EU, the remaining parties and alliances with seats opposed Boyko Borisov's past government and refused any possibility of a coalition with GERB due to disagreements over corruption.
On 18 October Borisov announced that his attempts to broker a coalition government prior to the first sitting of the new Assembly were unsuccessful. The following day, the Assembly failed to elect a speaker during its first meeting, the first time this ever occurred. After multiple failed attempts, the Assembly elected its oldest member, the GERB MP Vezhdi Rashidov, as speaker on 21 October, after he was nominated by Korneliya Ninova, the leader of BSP, as a consensus candidate. The gridlock to form a new government persisted throughout October and November 2022 and before a first or second mandate was given, President Rumen Radev stated that he would delay handing over the third mandate for government formation until after the New Year so as to delay elections until March 2023 and avoid the most difficult winter period.
On 2 December, Radev stated that he would hand the government mandate to the election's winner GERB the following Monday. On 5 December, Radev granted the first mandate to GERB's nominee, Nikolay Gabrovski. One week later, on 12 December, Gabrovski proposed a new government. His prime ministership was rejected by Parliament (113 for, 125 against, 2 absent) two days later on 14 December, with MPs from the DPS and BV voting in favour alongside GERB. On 3 January, Radev gave the second mandate to PP's candidate, Nikolai Denkov, but his prime ministership was also rejected by Parliament (63 for, 84 against, 30 abstain, 63 absent). Radev gave the third mandate to Ninova, who was unable to form a government in a deadlocked parliament. As none of the three mandates produced a government, a new election was scheduled.
Electoral system The 240 members of the National Assembly are elected by open list, proportional representation from 31 multi-member constituencies ranging in size from 4 to 19 seats. The electoral threshold is 4% for parties, with seats allocated according to the largest remainder method using a Hare quota. Radev dissolved the National Assembly on 3 February to schedule the election for 2 April 2023.
Parties
Parliamentary parties The table below lists the political party groups that were represented in the 48th National Assembly prior to the election.
Name Ideology Position Leader(s) 2022 resultSeats at dissolution Seats GERB—SDS GERB—Union of Democratic Forces Conservatism Centre-right Boyko Borisov 24.48% PP–DB We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria Social liberalismAnti-corruption Centre Kiril PetkovAssen Vassilev 19.52% Liberalism Centre to centre-right Hristo IvanovAtanas Atanasov 7.19% DPS Movement for Rights and Freedoms Turkish minority interests Liberalism Centre Mustafa Karadayi 13.29% Revival Revival Ultranationalism Right-wing populism Far-right Kostadin Kostadinov 9.83% BSPzB BSP for Bulgaria Social democracy Social conservatism Centre-left Korneliya Ninova 8.98% BV Bulgarian Rise National conservatismSouverainism Right-wing Stefan Yanev 4.47%
Contesting parties and coalitions Coalitions that registered to take part in the 2023 parliamentary election could change its composition or name by 25 February 2023. Until 28 February 2023, the candidate lists could be registered to the Electoral Commission. Party or coalition Ideology Leader 2022 result Votes (%) Seats 1 BSP for Bulgaria BSP Bulgarian Socialist Party Social democracySocial conservatism Korneliya Ninova 8.98% – Ecoglasnost Green politicsEnvironmentalism Emil Georgiev Trakiya Bulgarian nationalismThracian Bulgarian interests Stefan Nachev 2 GERB—SDS GERB GERB ConservatismPopulismBoyko Borisov 24.48% SDS Union of Democratic Forces National conservatismChristian democracy Rumen Hristov 3 Revival Revival UltranationalismRight-wing populism Kostadin Kostadinov 9.83% 4 ITN There is Such a People PopulismSocial conservatism Slavi Trifonov 3.71% 5 ISI Anti-vaccinationUltranationalism 0.10% 6 Neutral Bulgaria RVO Russophiles for theRevival of the Fatherland RussophiliaNational conservatism 0.25% Ataka Attack UltranationalismRight-wing populism Volen Siderov 0.29% BKP Bulgarian Communist PartyCommunismLeft-wing nationalism Zonka Spasova DNP PBK Party of the Bulgarian CommunistsCommunismMarxism–Leninism Collective leadership 7 BNO Bulgarian National Unification Bulgarian nationalismNational conservatism Georgi Georgiev-Goti 0.06% 8 PnZ Green politicsAnti-capitalism Vladimir Nikolov (Bulgarian Rise) SDP Social Democratic Party (Bulgaria) Social democracyPro-Europeanism Todor Barbolov DNP SBOR Iva MitevaDimitar Iliev New DNK Direct democracy 0.40% 9 BNU-ND Bulgarian National Union – New Democracy UltranationalismAnti-immigration 0.07% 10 NDSV National Movement for Stability and Progress PopulismConservative liberalism Stanimir Ilchev DNP 11 KOD Conservative Union of the Right National conservatismRight-wing populism Petar Moskov 0.19% 12 PP–DB PP We Continue the Change LiberalismAnti-corruptionKiril PetkovAssen Vassilev 19.52% SEK Middle European Class Economic liberalismBurgas regionalism Konstantin Bachiiski Volt Volt Bulgaria European federalismPro-Europeanism Nastimir Ananiev DSB Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria ConservatismAnti-communism Atanas Atanasov 7.19%(DB) DB Yes, Bulgaria!LiberalismAnti-corruption Hristo Ivanov ZD Green Movement Green politicsGreen liberalism Vladislav PanevDobromira Kostova 13 DPS Movement for Rights and Freedoms Turkish minority interestsLiberalism Mustafa Karadayi 13.29% 14 The Left! IS.BG Stand Up.BG Social liberalismSocial democracy Maya Manolova 0.97% ABV Alternative for Bulgarian Revival Social democracy Moderate social conservatism Rumen Petkov (Bulgarian Rise) ex-BSP faction Social democracy (BSPzB) D21 Movement 21Social democracy Tatyana Doncheva DNP ZS-AS Agrarian Union "Aleksandar Stamboliyski" Agrarianism BNL Bulgarian Progressive Line Democratic socialism ND Progressivism 15 BV Bulgarian Rise National conservatismSouverainism Stefan Yanev 4.62% 16 MIR Social conservatism 0.17% 17 BSDE Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft Social democracyPro-Europeanism Aleksandar Tomov 0.21% 18 BSDD Direct democracy 0.23% 19 GN People's Voice PopulismEuroscepticism Svetoslav Vitkov 0.24% 20 SPBP Left-wing nationalismEuroscepticism DNP 21 BTR Anti-Western sentimentHard Euroscepticism 0.10% KOY () Natsiya UltranationalismHard Euroscepticism New
Campaign Campaign slogans
The following list present the official campaign slogans of some of the major parties that contested the 2023 Bulgarian parliamentary election:
Party/alliance Original slogan English translation GERB–SDS „За стабилна България отново“ "For a stable Bulgaria again" PP–DB „Има как и има кой“ "There is a way and there is an option" DPS „Разум, отговорност, диалог“ "Reason, Responsibility, Dialogue" Revival „Избери свобода“ "Choose freedom" BSPzB „Благоденствие, солидарност, прогрес“ "Prosperity, Solidarity, Progress" BV „С разум за България” "With reason for Bulgaria" ITN „Държавата - Това сте вие“ "You are the state"
Constitutional powers of the President PP, DB, and GERB have accused Radev of meddling in political affairs, as well as internal party politics, which is in breach of the constitutional duties. BSP have consistently accused Radev and the caretaker Second Donev Government of allegedly meddling in internal party affairs. BSP sent an official complain to the OSCE and PACE alleging illegal meddling by the caretaker government and president in their internal politics, as well as the election campaign after an interview by justice minister Krum Zarkov criticising the party leadership. The PP–DB coalition also accused the president of meddling after Radev called them "the parties of war" referring to their support of sending arms to Ukraine. ITN believes that the president should have more powers compared to the current roles outlined in the constitution, even advocating for a transition to a presidential republic with ITN calling for a referendum to be held on the decision.
Magnitsky sanctions announcement On 10 February 2023, the United States announced a new group of sanctions based on the Magnitsky Act. The sanctions targeted former finance minister in the Second and Third Borisov Governments, Vladislav Goranov, former energy minister in the Stanishev Government, Rumen Ovcharov, the leader of Russophiles for the Revival of the Fatherland, Nikolay Malinov, as well as two former heads of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant. The group were accused of corruption, financial mismanagement and increasing Russian influence.