Everyone in the National Assembly is so ready to rule. At least four political forces have latched onto the idea of a third-term government. Why this hyperactivity and could it turn out to be more than a tactical move.
Politicians in Bulgaria are headed for elections with a changed face, but at least four political forces have clung to the idea of a third-term government. “Expert”, “technical”, “rescue”, but they all have one thing in common - it seems impossible to gather support and the requests are more like a tactical move aimed at improving their image for the next election by demonstrating activity and commitment to voters.
The reason for this hyperactivity is the deep disappointment and mistrust of the Bulgarian citizens towards the politicians because of their failures to form a stable government. Therefore, the parties demonstrate to their voters and the public that they are ready to take responsibility for the governance of the country. The political force that the president will choose to receive the third mandate - PP-DB, BSP, “There is such a people” or “Revival”, will take advantage of the benefits afforded to it by this option. He will be able to loudly declare his policies and goals, and if he manages to form a government, there will be no early elections in the fall that scare everyone (although he will not postpone them for long).
Bonus points, however, are hypothetical - if parties hit him promiscuously in negotiating support for a government, the damage to them could be greater.
PP-DB are not united for the third mandate
The third political force in the 50th parliament - PP-DB, which announced early on that it would remain in opposition, now intends to seek support for a government - as long as it gets the third mandate. But the coalition is not united in this decision, which means that they will hardly be the president's chosen ones for the third term. “We continue the change” (PP) reaffirmed the position of their National Council that within the framework of the 50th National Assembly there is not the necessary majority to create a real reformist, anti-corruption and pro-European government and they will not participate in talks about a management mandate. Thus, the request from DSB leader Atanas Atanasov for a “technical government in which the prime minister will be equidistant from all parties and will nominate his own ministers”. Atanasov also stated that the coalition had discussed names for prime minister, which came into some contradiction with “equal distance”.
These contradictory statements can be attributed to the lack of a unified authority and a common communication policy of the coalition. As a result, confusing signals are being sent to the voters of the PP-DB, which in fact halved - and hence the parliamentarians, who are 39. Thus, after the initial certainty that the coalition remains in opposition in the 50th National Assembly, now another narrative is on the agenda .
The story "Anti Peevski"
From “Yes, Bulgaria” they intend to test with a dozen points whether a majority will be found in the parliament for a “package of anti-corruption reforms aimed at eliminating the “Peevski” model, completing the judicial reform and stabilizing the parliamentary republic”. The vote will show whether they will ask for the third mandate for a “technical government”.
This reloading tactic will help PP-DB to re-promote itself as a reformist and anti-corruption force by reminding of its priorities - election of a new parliamentary quota in the SJC and VPS and a new composition of the Inspectorate of the SJC (IVSS), leadership of the Anti-corruption Commission, filling of key regulators, service reform, etc. But the fact that during the 9 months in which the assembly and constitutional majority of GERB-SDS, PP-DB and DPS operated, “the “Peevski” was not mentioned, it will make restarting difficult.
“If there is a chance to form an “anti-Peevski” government, we are obliged to our voters to do it”, the leader of “Yes, Bulgaria”, who resigned due to the weak election results, said on bTV. and co-chairman of DB Hristo Ivanov. The National Council of the party decided to propose to its partners to discuss whether to start consultations on drafting and adopting a declaration of the National Assembly “On strengthening the parliamentary republic by continuing the reforms” - despite the disagreement declared by the PP. From the media appearances of DB politicians, it became clear that they do not rule out GERB and expect the party to make its choice - in contrast to “We continue the change”, who do not share this position.
Technical Assembly
Each cabinet must have clear political support, the chairman of the PG of PP-DB and former prime minister Nikolay Denkov said recently. However, what does PP-DB decide about BSP, “Revival” and the disintegrated “Greatness”, still national populists with an inclination towards the Kremlin? Can they swallow them because of “anti-Peevski”, if one of these parties, for example, supports their anti-corruption “test” - or do they rely on the 68 from GERB and the 17 deputies from DPS, resisting the co-president and loyal to the honorary leader Dogan?
But GERB leader Boyko Borisov repeated again that they will not support a government with neither the second nor the third mandate. Easy to predict given the fact that, with the exception of 30 MPs from the DPS, no one else supported his proposed cabinet with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. About the anti-corruption “test” did not speak.
“Revival” also raises the slogan of “anti-DPS majority” and the leader Kostadin Kostadinov has already stated that they have “only foreign policy disagreements” with the PP-DB. But the co-chairman of “The Change” Kiril Petkov wrote on Facebook that PP-DB cannot be part of either the majority of GERB and DPS, nor of "Vazrazhdane", BSP, ITN and "Velichie". However, the latter, without “Majesty”, will also talk to everyone in parliament to seek broad support - BSP for an “expert cabinet of national salvation”, “There is such a people” - for “expert government”.
Everyone is so ready to rule. And they will have to ask their voters again if they allow it.
This comment expresses the author's personal opinion and may not coincide with the positions of the Bulgarian editorial staff and DV as a whole.