Political scientists Maria Pirgova, Milen Lyubenov and Lyubomir Stefanov united around the thesis that the upcoming presidential elections will be not only a battle for “Dondukov“ 2, but also a key test for the state and future rearrangement of the party system. According to them, Iliyana Yotova enters the race with strong positions, while the main intrigue remains who will become her real opponent in the runoff. Among the possible scenarios in the studio of “Hello, Bulgaria“ on Nova TV they highlighted the candidacy of Andrey Gyurov, the possible inclusion of Kostadin Kostadinov and the difficult choice before GERB - whether to nominate its own candidate, seek a joint candidacy with PP-DB or support a foreign nomination.
Maria Pirgova predicted a clear victory for Iliyana Yotova, but emphasized that the presidential vote will also have an impact on the future arrangement of the party system. “Iliyana Yotova's victory in the upcoming presidential elections seems almost certain, and the greater intrigue will be around the second place and her possible rival in the runoff“, she said. According to the political scientist, the parties will use the campaign to mobilize their structures and test their real political influence.
"The presidential elections will also undergo a restructuring of the party system. The parties will tighten their ranks and try to see who will line up where“, Pirgova pointed out.
She believes that a possible candidacy of the leader of “Vazrazhdane“ Kostadin Kostadinov could completely change the logic of the race. “If Kostadinov runs, it could lead to a scenario similar to the one in 2006, when Volen Siderov went to a runoff with Georgi Parvanov“, Pirgova predicts.