The Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Bulgaria has published the full list of parties and independent candidates running for the European elections on its website.
Twenty-seven parties, coalitions and independent candidates are in the ballot for the election of 17 members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Bulgaria scheduled for May 26, 2019.
The electoral system no threshold for access to the European Parliament. However of the 27 lists only three seems to be able to send MEPs to the next EP.
European Elections are not particularly popular in the country. The turnout in 2014 was only 35,84%.
In 2014 7 parties and movements won the 17 seats in the EP.
The conservative, Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) of the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, which is a member of the EPP Group won 7 seats. The ruling party formed an electoral alliance with the Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB), a party established by former Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov in 2004 and obtained 30,40% of the votes.
The opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) which experienced a deep internal crisis in 2014 won 6 seats with 18,93%. The Movement for Rights & Freedoms (MRF), which represents mainly the Turkish minority of the country and is a member of the ALDE Group, elected 4 MEPs with 17,27%.
Two far-right parties, the VMRO and Bulgaria Without Censorship won 1 seat each. Although expressing positions similar to those of the members of the ENF Group, the two parties became members of the ECR Group.
According to the latest polls the situation seems to be radically changed since 2014.
The two major parties enjoy support from 33% of the voters each and it is expected that GERB will win 8 seats while BSP 7. The MRF is in a net retreat losing 2 of the 4 seats at the EP with less than 10% (in 2014 the movement received 17,27%).
It also possible that the far-right parties will not manage to elect any MEP. The VMRO enjoys support from 6% of the voters while other 3 extremist parties, Volya which is an ally of Marine Le Pen, the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria and Attack are in decline with 1% each.
The new coalition Democratic Bulgaria based on the liberal and pro-European Yes Bulgaria! Party, which was founded in 2017 by former Minister of Justice Hristo Ivanov is around to 4,5%.
