2023 Bulgarian local elections

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Party  | GERB | PP-DB | BSP
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Local elections in Bulgaria were held on 29 October 2023.[1] Mayors and municipal councillors across the country were elected.[2]

## Electoral system

[edit]

The elections to Bulgaria's municipal councils are conducted via proportional representation with an open list preferential voting system.

The mayoral elections take place within the context of a majoritarian two-round system. The first round of the elections will be held on 29 October. If no candidate in a given constituency manages to gain 50% of the vote, a runoff election will be held for that constituency in the second round on 5 November.[3]

Voting is officially mandatory, but in practice there is no punishment for failing to vote and the law itself isn't strictly enforced.[4]

Voters further have the option to vote against all proposed candidates.[5]

## Contesting parties

[edit]

Name  | Ideology  | Position  | Leader(s)  | 2023 result

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|
|

Votes (%) | Seats
| BND | Bulgarian New Democracy | Conservative liberalism | Centre-right | Valery Timov  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Svoboda | Freedom  | Bulgarian nationalism | Right-wing | Vladimir Simenov  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Zelenite | Party of the Greens  [bg] | Green Politics
Anti-corruption | Syncretic | Vladimir Nikolov  | Together (BG) [bg] |

0 / 240

| DD | Direct Democracy [bg] | Direct democracy | Syncretic | Petar Klisarov [bg] | DNP  |

0 / 240

| DnG | Movement for Our Cities  | Local politics | Centre | Atanas Kalchev  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Volya | Volya | Bulgarian nationalism
Right-wing populism | Right-wing | Veselin Mareshki | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Revival | Revival | Ultranationalism
Russophilia | Far-right | Kostadin Kostadinov | 13.58  |

37 / 240

| NDPS | "National Movement for Rights and Freedoms" [bg] | Turkish Minority interests | Centre | Gyuner Tahir [bg] | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Euroma | Euroroma | Romani Minority interests | Centre | Tsvetalin Kanchev  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| BSD | Bulgarian Social Democrats | Social democracy | Centre-left | Georgi Atanasov

Mariya Dobreva

| DNP  |

0 / 240

| BSDE | Bulgarian Social Democracy -Euro Left | Social democracy | Centre-left | Aleksandar Tomov  | 0.10  |

0 / 240

| SDS | Union of Democratic Forces | Christian democracy
Conservatism | Centre-right | Rumen Hristov  | (GERB-SDS)  |

2 / 240

| KOD | Conservative Union of the Right | National conservatism
Right-wing populism | Right-wing | Petar Moskov  | 0.29  |

0 / 240

| ONB | "Society for a New Bulgaria" [bg] | National conservatism | Right-wing | Margarit Mitsev  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| OBT | United Block for Labour [bg] | Social democracy
Labourism | Centre-left | Yekaterina Atanasova  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Pravoto | "Pravoto" [bg] | Anti-corruption
Russophilia | Syncretic | Mariya Koleva  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| BDS-R | Bulgarian Democratic Union-Radicals  | National conservatism | Right-wing | Tsvetan Manchev  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Georges Day | George's Day Movement | National conservatism
Right-wing populism | Right-wing | Dragomir Stefanov  | (GERB-SDS)  |

1 / 240

| PDS | Political Movement "Social Democrats" | Social democracy | Center-left | Yelena Noneva  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| ZS "AS" | Agrarian Union "Aleksandar Stamboliyski" | Social democracy
Agrarianism | Center-left | Spas Panchev [bg] | (Levitsata!)  |

0 / 240

| OZ | United Agrarians | Liberal Conservatism
Agrarianism | Center-right | Petya Stavreva | (PP-DB)  |

0 / 240

| NI! | We are Coming!  | Anti-corruption | Syncretic | Nikolay Hadjigenov
Armyan Babikyan [bg] | DNP  |

0 / 240

| BV | Bulgarian Rise | National conservatism | Syncretic | Stefan Yanev | 2.93  |

0 / 240

| KB |  Conservative Bulgaria | National conservatism | Right-wing | Boris Yachev  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| BPL | Bulgarian Progressive Line | Democratic Socialism | Left-wing | Krasimir Yankov [bg] | (Levitsata!)  |

0 / 240

| BG | Bulgarian Voice  | Anti-corruption
Right-wing populism | Syncretic | Georgi Popov  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| MIR | "MIR" [bg] | Left-wing nationalism | Center-left | Simeon Slavchov  [bg] | 0.10  |

0 / 240

| GN | Peoples Voice | Right-wing populism | Right wing | Svetoslav Vitkov | 0.21  |

0 / 240

| DPS | Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Turkish minority interests
Liberalism | Centre | Mustafa Karadaya | 13.58  |

36 / 240

| Velichie | Greatness  | Anti-corruption | Syncretic | Albena Peskova  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| VMRO | VMRO-BNM |

National conservatism
Bulgarian nationalism

| Right-wing to far-right | Angel Dzhambazki | DNP  |

0 / 240

| BSDP | BSDP | Social democracy | Centre-left | Yordan Nihrizov [bg] | DNP  |

0 / 240

| BZNS | BZNS | Agrarianism | Centre | Iliya Zyumbulev  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| SDP | "Social Democratic Party" [bg] | Social democracy | Centre-left | Todor Barobolov [bg] | Together (Bulgaria) [bg] |

0 / 240

| SP | Socialist Party "Bulgarian Way" [bg] | Socialism
Left-wing nationalism | Far-Left | Angel Dimov [bg] | 0.03  |

0 / 240

| SSD | Union of Free Democrats | Conservatism | Centre-right | Milan Lilanov  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| DNB | Movement "Forward Bulgaria"  | Conservatism | Syncretic | Zoritsa Atanasova  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| ATAKA | Ataka | Bulgarian nationalism
Russophilia | Far-Right | Volen Siderov | (Neutral Bulgaria)  |

0 / 240

| BDF | Bulgarian Democratic Forum [bg] | Conservatism | Centre-right | Zhaklin Toleva  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| ITN | There is Such a People | Conservatism
Right-wing populism | Right-wing | Slavi Trifonov | 4.11  |

11 / 240

| NV | "New Time" [bg] | Liberalism | Centre | Miroslav Sevelievski  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| DDD-DZ | Movement of Democratic Action  | Liberal conservatism | Centre-right | Stefan Ivanov  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| SBOR | "SBOR" [bg] | Syncretic Politics | Syncretic | Dimitar Iliev  | Together (Bulgaria) [bg] |

0 / 240

| DBG | Bulgaria for Citizens Movement | Liberal conservatism | Centre to Centre-right | Jordan Yordanov [bg] | DNP  |

0 / 240

| GERB | GERB | Conservatism
Populism | Centre-right | Boyko Borisov | 26.9  |

67 / 240

| NDSV | National Movement for Stability and Progress | Liberalism | Centre | Stanimir Ilchev | 0.27  |

0 / 240

| SPS "Zashita" | Union of Patriotic Forces "Defense" | Bulgarian nationalism | Right-wing | Petar Beron  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| Edinstvo | National Movement "Unity" [bg] | Liberal conservatism | Center-right | Nikolay Ivanov  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| RZS | Order, Law and Justice | Right-wing populism | Right-wing | Yane Yanev  | DNP  |

0 / 240

| ZNS | Agrarian People's Union | Agrarianism | Centre-right | Rumen Yonchev [bg] | DNP  |

0 / 240

| BUDD | Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy [bg] | Direct Democracy | Syncretic | Georgi Nedelchev  | 0.10  |

0 / 240

| SEK | Middle European Class | Liberal Conservatism | Center-right | Konstantin Bachiyski | PP-DB |

1 / 240

|  "Citizens for the Communities" | Bulgarian Workers-Peasants Party  | Communism
Marxism-Leninism | Far-Left | Georgi Georgiev
Yordan Maldzhanski  | DNP  |

0 / 240

Competency, Responsibility, Truth [bg] | Euroscepticism
Populism | Syncretic | Svetozar Suev [bg] | Out of EU and NATO [bg]
|  "Together for Strong Communities" | Republicans for Bulgaria | Conservative liberalism | Center-right | Tsvetan Tsvetanov | DNP  |

0 / 240

"Green Union"  | Green Politics | Center |  | DNP
| Levitsata! | Stand Up.BG | Social liberalism
Social democracy | Center-left | Maya Manolova | 2.23  |

0 / 240

Alternative for Bulgarian Revival | Social democracy
Moderate social conservatism | Center-left | Rumen Petkov
ex-BSP faction  | Social democracy | Center-left | Kostadin Paskalev [bg]
Valeri Zheblyan [bg]
Movement 21 | Social democracy | Center-left | Tatyana Doncheva
| Neutral Bulgaria | Russophiles for the
Revival of the Fatherland | Russophilia
National conservatism | Syncretic | Nikolay Malinov [bg] | 0.42  |

0 / 240

Communist Party of Bulgaria | Communism
Marxism-Leninism | Far-left | Aleksandar Paunov
Bulgarian Communist Party [bg] | Communism
Left-wing nationalism | Far-left | Zonka Spasova
Party of the Bulgarian Communists | Communism
Marxism–Leninism | Far-left | Collective leadership
New Force  | Bulgarian nationalism | Far-right | Collective leadership
|  "Bulgaria of the Regions" | New Bulgaria [bg] | Anti-corruption | Center | Ivaylo Simeonov [bg] | DNP  |

0 / 240

NPPB  | Local politics of Haskovo |  |  | DNP
| BSP for Bulgaria | Bulgarian Socialist Party | Social democracy
Social conservatism | Center-left | Korneliya Ninova | 8.93  |

23 / 240

Ecoglasnost | Green politics | Center-left | Emil Georgiev [bg]
Political Club "Trakiya" [bg] |  Southern Bulgarian regionalism
Left-wing nationalism | Center-left | Stefan Nachev
| Alternative for the Citizens | Green Party | Green politics | Center-left | Mariya Dragomiretskaya  | DNP  |

0 / 240

Bulgarian Left | Democratic socialism | Left-wing | Collective leadership
Unified Social-Democracy [bg] | Social-democracy | Center-left | Yordan Gergov
Movement for Social Humanism | Social-democracy | Center-left | Tsevtan Minkyovski
| PP-DB | We Continue the Change | Liberalism
Anti-corruption | Center | Kiril Petkov
Asen Vasilev | 24.56  |

63 / 240

Volt Bulgaria | Eurofederalism | Center | Nastimir Ananiev
Yes, Bulgaria! | Economic liberalism
Anti-corruption | Center-right | Hristo Ivanov
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria | Liberal conservatism
Atlanticism | Center-right | Atanas Atanasov
Green Movement | Green politics
Green liberalism | Centrist | Vladislav Panev

### Local parties & coalitions

[edit]

Name  | Location  | Ideology

|
|

Leader(s)
| Unification for Plovdiv | Bulgarian Cause  | Plovdiv | Local politics | Georgi Tityukov
New Leaders  | Plovdiv | Local politics
Direct Democracy
| RzSR | Development for Septemvri and the Region  | Septemvri | Local politics | Radoslav Lyutakov
| SzP | Union for Plovdiv  | Plovdiv | Local politics
Liberal conservatism | Yevelin Paraskov
Veselin Kozarev
| BzR | Future of the Motherland  | Stara Zagora | Local politics | Stanislav Popov
| DzPP | Movement for the Prosperity of Pernik  | Pernik | Local politics | Stanislav Vladimirov
| SS | Spasi Sofia | Sofia | Local politics
Anti-corruption | Boris Bonev [bg]
| MORE | More  | Nesebar | Local politics
Rural interests | Peycho Kolev

## Mayorship of Sofia

[edit]

See also: 2023 Sofia mayoral election

The election for the position of Mayor of Sofia, Bulgaria's capital and largest city, is expected to be hotly contested and will result in a new mayor being elected, as incumbent mayor Yordanka Fandakova from GERB has announced she will not seek re-election.

Opinion polls for Mayor of Sofia

Polling firm  | Fieldwork date  | Sample  | Vasil Terziev | Anton Hekimyan  | Dean Nikolov | Vanya Grigorova | Vili Lilkov | Others | None of
the above | Lead

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PP | DB | SS | GERB | SDS | Revival | BSP | Levitsata!
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ЕСТАТ  | 29.09-9.10 2023  | 800  | 27.8  |  |  | 18.7  |  |  | 20.6  |  | 6.4  |  |  | 7.2
CAM | 21–25 Jul 2023  | 1,212  | 33.4 | 22.7  | 12.0  | 10.6  | 4.8  | 7.9  | 2.7  | 10.7

## Results

[edit]

### First round

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2023)

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According to Central Election Commission the number of people who voted on 29 October totaled 2,713,979 or 44.94% of eligible voters. The turnout was 49.76% in the 2019 local elections. The invalid ballots in the 29 October, 2023 elections totaled over half a million, including 412,711 ballots for municipal councilors, 94,195 for municipality mayor (down from 128,204 in 2019) and 34,235 for mayoralty mayor.[6]

In general, GERB had the strongest showing throughout the country, although the party failed to make it to the second round in the capital.[7]

### Second round

[edit]

Overall, GERB won 11 regional towns, PP–DB won four, and the Bulgarian Socialist party won three. Of the largest four cities, PP-DB won in the capital (Sofia) and Varna while GERB won in Plovdiv and Burgas.[8]

#### Sofia

[edit]

| Popular vote (Sofia City Council)

|  |
We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria |

| 34.3%
GERB-UDF |

| 19.9%
Bulgarian Socialist Party-Levitsata! |

| 13.9%
Revival |

| 11.1%
Blue Sofia-KOD |

| 4.7%
ITN |

| 4.5%
VMRO |

| 1.8%
Others |

| 9.8%

| Popular vote (Mayor of Sofia) - First Round

|  |
Vasil Terziev |

| 31.8%
Vanya Grigorova |

| 21.6%
Anton Hekimyan |

| 17.8%
Dean Nikolov |

| 7.7%
Vili Lilkov |

| 5.7%
Ivaylo Valchev |

| 3.2%
Radostin Vassilev |

| 2.5%
Others |

| 9.7%

| Popular vote (Mayor of Sofia) - Second Round

|  |
Vasil Terziev |

| 48.2%
Vanya Grigorova |

| 46.9%
Against all |

| 4.9%

## References

[edit]

1. ^ staff, The Sofia Globe (2023-07-31). "Bulgaria to hold 2023 municipal and mayoral elections on October 29". The Sofia Globe. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
2. ^ "Bulgaria's President set a Date for this year's Local Elections - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency". www.novinite.com. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
3. ^ "Местни избори 2019: Права и задължения". bgnes. 2019-09-27. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
4. ^ "Конституционният съд отмени санкцията за задължителното гласуване - България". dariknews.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2019-10-21.
5. ^ "Централна избирателна комисия - Често Задавани Въпроси". www.cik.bg. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
6. ^ https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/560753-over-2-7-million-voters-and-half-million-invalid-ballots-in-oct-29-elections
7. ^ Service, RFE/RL's Bulgarian. "Pro-West Grouping Looks Set To Win Sofia Mayoral Race, While GERB Strong Elsewhere". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
8. ^ "BSP may challenge Sofia mayoral election results in court". bnr.bg. Retrieved 2023-11-06.

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