Even on the second try
Government formation in Bulgaria failed
In Bulgaria, a second attempt to form a government failed after the new elections three months ago.
ARCHIVE – One attempt remains: Bulgarian President Rumen Radew. Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa
Former Education and Science Minister Nikolai Denkov, who was nominated for the post of head of government by the second largest PP party, handed back the government mandate to President Rumen Radev on Monday without having set up a government. This deepens the political crisis in the Balkan country after the early parliamentary elections in October 2022. A transitional cabinet is currently in power in Sofia.
The liberal PP (“We’re going to continue the change”) failed on Friday when it failed to vote on a declaration of intent it had submitted on “national priorities” in parliament. Unfortunately, this did not receive sufficient parliamentary support, said Denkow on Monday at the start of the ceremony in the President’s office. Only 63 of the 177 parliamentarians present in the plenary chamber voted for the declaration. A liberal-socialist coalition government led by the PP was overthrown in June 2022 by a vote of no confidence over its policies on North Macedonia and on the financial and economic sectors.
If a third attempt to form a government also fails, there would have to be another parliamentary election – it would be the fifth since April 2021. President Rumen Radev has already warned of such a development in view of Bulgaria’s efforts to join the border-free Schengen area. Financial experts fear that another new election could have a negative impact on Bulgaria’s intended introduction of the euro.
(SDA)