Bulgaria in the Election Year 2011

• Published in: Südosteuropa-Mitteilungen Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 10 - 25
• Main Author: Meinardus, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Bulgaria; Conservatism; Corruption; Economic conditions; Elections; Executive power; Government and politics; Health Care Services; Leadership; Organized crime; Political Parties; Presidents; Prime ministers; Social policy; Socialist Parties
• ISSN: 0340-174X

2010 marks the first full year of the conservative government of Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, elected in July 2009. Popularity is an imperative for him and as a consequence erratic turnarounds in his decision-making are the "red file" of his leadership. The economic crisis in Bulgaria still needs political concepts how to tackle the burning issues. The urgently needed structural reforms of social security systems, of health care and of education are stuck. The public combat against corruption and organized crime has led to no significant sentences yet. Bulgarian politics more and more resemble a political soap opera with "Boiko" as director and main actor. Nevertheless, there is no real political alternative for the governing party QERB (Movement for a European Bulgaria). On the centre-right all other political parties would not make the electoral threshold of 4 %. The Bulgarian Socialist Party BSP is still recuperating from its electoral defeat in 2009. The new "political project" of Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov may be a future factor, but will not turn into a political party before the upcoming local elections, to be held jointly with the elections for president in October 2011. GERB will use all instruments of the executive power to ensure its victory in these elections. Adapted from the source document.