2001 Bulgarian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Bulgaria on 17 June 2001.[1] The result was a victory for the National Movement – Simeon II, which won 120 of the 240 seats. Following the elections, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the country's last Tsar, who was deposed by the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1946, became Prime Minister.[2]

2001 Bulgarian parliamentary election
Bulgaria
17 June 2001

All 240 seats in the National Assembly
121 seats needed for a majority
Turnout66.63%
PartyLeader % Seats +/–
NDSV Simeon Sakskoburggotski 42.74 120 New
ODS Ivan Kostov 18.18 51 -86
BSPzB Georgi Parvanov 17.15 48 -10
DPS Ahmed Dogan 7.45 21 +2
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after
Ivan Kostov
ODS
Simeon Sakskoburggotski
NDSV

Background

The elections came four years after the last parliamentary elections in 1997, marking the first occasion since the fall of communism that a full term had been completed.[2] A total of 65 parties registered for the elections, together with eleven independents.[2]

National Movement – Simeon II was originally prevented from registering by Sofia City Court as it failed to meet the Central Election Committee's requirements. However, after forming an alliance with the Bulgarian Women's Party and the Movement for National Revival, the party was allowed to register.[2]

Results

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Movement Simeon II1,952,51342.74120New
United Democratic Forces830,33818.1851−86
Coalition for Bulgaria783,37217.1548−10
Movement for Rights and Freedoms340,3957.4521+2
VMROGeorge's Day Movement165,9273.630New
Simeon II Coalition157,1413.440New
National Union for Tsar Simeon II77,6711.700New
Bulgarian Social Democracy44,6370.9800
Union Bulgaria33,6370.740New
Coalition "National Union Tzar Kiro"27,6360.600New
NU Fatherland and Left21,8510.480New
George Ganchev's Bloc17,2720.380New
UAFBZNSBZNS(NP)15,5040.3400
Bulgarian Workers' Party12,5790.280New
Democratic Party of Justice10,8220.2400
Bulgarian Socialist Workers' Party10,7970.2400
Bulgarian Communist Party "Fatherland"9,3730.210New
Patriotism 20006,0770.130New
Union of Patriotic Forces and Militaries of the Reserve Defense5,2270.110New
Bulgarian Democratic Party for United States of Europe and the World4,8040.1100
MDRUSWCFPFB4,7400.100New
Bulgarian National Party "Social Union"4,4390.100New
Alternative Social-Liberal Party4,2670.090New
Free Cooperative Party3,9350.0900
Bulgarian National-Radical Party3,0180.0700
Social Liberal Movement "Justice"2,7150.060New
National Movement for New Era2,4620.050New
Patriotic Party of Labour1,6010.040New
Alliance for Preservation of the Wealth of Bulgaria1,4140.030New
Party of the Workers' and Social Democratic Intelligentsia1,0330.020New
Bulgarian Fatherland Party "National Union"6230.010New
National Party of Labour, Private Owners, Producers and Creators5240.010New
Bulgarian National Front2020.000New
Bulgarian Business Bloc1620.000−12
Party of the Middle Class790.000New
Union of the Nation – Movement of the Deprived390.000New
Independents9,3650.2100
Total4,568,191100.002400
Valid votes4,568,19199.13
Invalid/blank votes39,9440.87
Total votes4,608,135100.00
Registered voters/turnout6,916,15166.63
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, University of Essex

Aftermath

Following the elections, Simeon Sakskoburggotski became Prime Minister and formed the Sakskoburggotski Government.

A study in the context of the election investigated which societal groups contribute to electoral volatility on the individual level. The findings described that voters belonging to the Turkish minority contribute to party system stability because they were less likely to switch their vote than their Bulgarian or Roma peers. The authors argue that "ethnic socialization provides information shortcuts for vote choice in low-information environments of new democracies." The case is considered evidence that ethnic minorities with relevant ethnic-linguistic parties in new democracies contribute to party system stability.[3]

References

  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p.369 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. "Bulgaria: Elections held in 2001". Inter-Parliamentary Union.
  3. Birnir, Jóhanna Kristín (2007). "Divergence in Diversity? The Dissimilar Effects of Cleavages on Electoral Politics in New Democracies". American Journal of Political Science. 47 (2): 602–619. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5907.2007.00270.x. JSTOR 4620087. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.