Bulgaria's largest parliamentary force proposes coalition government

Sofia, Jan 15 GERB-UDF, the largest political force in the Bulgarian Parliament, on Wednesday proposed the formation of a three-party coalition government, two and a half months after the parliamentary elections.

Rosen Zhelyazkov, GERB-UDF's nominee for Prime Minister, proposed the new government moments after Bulgarian President Rumen Radev handed him an exploratory mandate.

The coalition also includes the parliamentary groups of Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)-United Left and There Is Such People, Zhelyazkov said, adding that it would be supported by Democracy, Rights and Freedoms - DRF when voted by the National Assembly, the country's parliament.

The three-party coalition and DRF have together 126 seats. The proposal for cabinet needs to be approved by legislators in a simple majority vote in the 240-member parliament.

Zhelyazkov, a master of laws born in 1968, is currently a member of the parliament. He has served as Speaker of the National Assembly, Minister of Transport and Communications, and Secretary General of the Council of Ministers.

Radev said while giving the mandate to Zhelyazkov that Bulgarians have been waiting too long for a way out of the political crisis. "Therefore, I have provided sufficient time for your party and your potential partners to consider possible options and find a working formula," Radev said.

GERB-UDF and its partners have held tough and responsible negotiations, and "made great efforts to achieve the necessary compromises and agreement for nationally responsible governance of the country," Zhelyazkov said in turn.

Radev said he would submit the proposal to the parliament "today", Xinhua news agency reported.

If the largest political force in parliament fails to form a government, the President will task the second-largest group with nominating a Prime Minister-designate. If they also fail, the President will then turn to a minor parliamentary group. If no government is formed, new parliamentary elections will be scheduled.

Bulgaria's parliamentary elections were held on October 27, 2024, following the failure of the legislature to form a new government after June 2024's elections.