Bulgaria
Bulgaria performs in the mid-range across all categories of the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) framework. It scores in the top 25 per cent of countries in several factors including Freedom of Movement, Political Equality, Economic Equality, Gender Equality, and Civil Society. Over the last five years (2018-2023), Bulgaria has experienced significant improvements in Access to Justice, Effective Parliament, and Absence of Corruption. It is an upper-middle-income country, with its economy primarily driven by services, along with industry and a growing tourism sector.
A coalition of Balkan countries led by the Russian Empire ended the five-century Ottoman occupation in 1878, and the Treaty of Berlin reshaped the map of the Balkans, including Bulgaria’s borders. The country gained de jure independence in 1908. Following World War II, it fell under single-party Communist rule, becoming the Soviet Union's (USSR) most trusted satellite state and even applying to join the USSR. The peaceful transition to democracy began in 1989, with the first democratic elections in 1990. Unlike its neighbors, weak opposition to the communist regime allowed communist officials to dominate 1990s politics. In 2001, former King Simeon II's election as Prime Minister marked the rise of populism and personalism, shifting political debates towards nationalism versus European integration. The far-right, some of whom advocated against minorities and in favour of a more monoethnic society, withdrawal from NATO, and opposition to adopting the Euro, achieved an electoral breakthrough in the 2023 parliamentary elections and maintained the same voter support in the 2024 elections, further underscoring this political shift. Nationalist political rhetoric in Bulgaria has enflamed relations with North Macedonia due to disputes on shared history and language and reopened questions regarding Russian influence.
Further corroding Bulgarians’ political discourse is the endemic presence of corruption. In 2023, Bulgaria had the second highest levels of perceived corruption in the EU, according to Transparency International. While there are some prospects for recovery (for example, Ivan Geshev, a controversial chief prosecutor, was removed from office in 2023, and reforms were implemented to help ensure effective criminal investigations), these are tempered by frequent political upheaval and entrenched interests.
Bulgaria’s performance on Gender Equality has been consistently high for the past few decades, bolstered by the Law on Equality between Women and Men in 2016. Still, sexism and violence against women (and domestic violence) remain persistent, though 2023 amendments to the criminal code, which expanded domestic violence law to apply beyond married couples, could lead to positive changes. Recently, transgender people were banned from legally changing their gender and the Parliament approved an amendment banning LGBTQIA+ “propaganda” in schools. The Council of Europe identified the LGBTQIA+ community and the Roma as primary targets of hate speech and prejudice in Bulgaria. The Roma, constituting the second largest minority group (4.4 per cent), face widespread poverty and discrimination, especially in education and housing.
A rapidly declining population due to high emigration and low birth rates, a healthcare system plagued by crises, and one of the highest levels of poverty and social exclusion in the EU may persist as structural challenges. These could impact Rights, particularly Basic Welfare, Social Group Equality and Economic Equality. Addressing these issues has proven difficult, exacerbated by political instability. Looking ahead, particular attention must be given to the Effective Parliament and Rule of Law, with a special focus on Absence of Corruption and Judicial Independence.
Last Updated: September 2024
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August 2024
Parliament approves amendment banning LGBTQIA+ “propaganda” in schools
On 7 August, Parliament approved an amendment to the Law on Pre-School and School Education, banning the "promotion or encouragement, directly or indirectly, of ideas related to nontraditional sexual orientation or gender identity different from biological sex." The amendment, which is expected to impact the educational process and classroom discussions, was proposed by the Revival party and was supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the centre-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party. The amendment lacks clear penalties and definitions of which “ideas and views” are unlawful. Rights groups condemned the law, comparing it to Russia's LGBTQIA+ propaganda law and calling it an attack on equality and children's rights. Despite a petition from over 6,000 people and 70 organizations urging a veto, President Rumen Radev signed the amendment into law on 15 August. Protests followed in Sofia, with around 2,000 opposing the law, including MPs, and about 500 in support, demanding stricter measures.
Sources: Bulgarian Parliament, Balkan Insight (1), Balkan Insight (2), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Politico, Euronews, ILGA-Europe
June 2024
Bulgaria holds sixth parliamentary elections since 2021
On 9 June, following the collapse of a nine-month coalition between the centre-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria-Union of Democratic Forces (GERB-UDF) and the centrist We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) in March, Bulgaria held its sixth parliamentary elections since 2021. The European Parliament elections were held on the same day. In the 240-seat unicameral parliament, GERB-UDF will hold 68 seats, centrist DPS (Movement for Rights and Freedoms) will have 47 seats, PP-DB 39 seats, and the ultranationalist Revival will take 38 seats. Despite leading, this was GERB’s weakest electoral performance in its history, and the party will need at least two partners to form a government. Women secured 27 per cent of the parliamentary seats, slightly up from 25.4 per cent in the previous parliament. The trend of declining voter turnout continued, reaching a new low of 34.4 per cent, down from 39.1 per cent in 2023.
Sources: Euractiv, Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission, Dnevnik, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Al Jazeera, iKnow Politics, IPU, International IDEA
December 2023
Parliament adopts amendments to the constitution
The parliament approved the most extensive set of constitutional amendments since its adoption in 1991, with 165 votes in favour (PP-DB, GERB-SDS, and DPS), 71 against (Revival, BSP, and ITN), and one abstention (Boyko Rashkov). These amendments bring significant changes to the judiciary, addressing a long-standing EU request by reducing the Prosecutor General’s powers. They also limit the president's powers in appointing a caretaker cabinet, introduce measures to democratize the election process for regulatory and control authorities, and allow Bulgarian citizens with dual citizenship to serve as MPs and ministers. Justice Minister Atanas Slavov emphasized that these changes are a crucial step toward aligning the country with European democratic standards. The pro-Russian opposition and President Rumen Radev oppose the amendments. In January 2024, President Radev referred the revisions to the Constitutional Court, expressing concerns about their constitutionality and potential implications for the governance of the country.
Sources: Parliament of Bulgaria, Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), The Sofia Globe (1), The Sofia Globe (2), Euractiv Bulgaria, Novinite (1), Novinite (2)
September 2023
Government required to recognize same-sex relationships
On 5 September, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the government’s failure to legally recognize same-sex couples violates the European Convention on Human Rights. The case was brought to the ECHR by two Bulgarian women whose marriage in the United Kingdom was not recognized by the authorities. While this landmark decision does not mandate the country to legalize same-sex marriages in the country, it does require its authorities to create a legal framework in collaboration with the Council of Europe to ensure the protection of same-sex couples going forward.
Sources: European Court of Human Rights, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Bulgaria), Balkan Insight, Human Rights Watch
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