A controversial newcomer could be kingmaker

BULGARIAN election campaigns in the last 15 years have continuously surprised with a newcomer. In the run-up to every major election, a new player, often enveloped in an aura of controversies and populism, took centre stage.  In 2001, just a couple of months before the parliamentary elections, Bulgaria’s former king, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha founded a political movement which won the vote and made him prime minister. In 2005 a previously unknown ultra-nationalist formation Ataka, became the fourth-largest party in parliament. And in 2007, the newly founded GERB party, led by Simeon’s former bodyguard, Boyko Borisov, came first at European Parliament elections and at general elections two years later.

The 2014 election campaign promises to be no different. The vote in May is, at least nominally, for Members of the European Parliament.  But given the wobbly first year of the ruling coalition, which was the target of large-scale anti-government protests and has only a razor-thin majority, the campaign appears to be preparation for an early general election. Observers expect it to take place by the end of the year.

This time around the new player on the political stage comes is a former TV host. Nikolay Barekov set up his “Bulgaria without Censorship” (BBT) party at the end of January calling for an early general election and promising to...Continue reading