Bulgaria to hold 7th early general election on Oct. 27

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced that the country will hold its seventh early general election in just three years on Oct. 27, amid ongoing political instability.

President Radev accepted Prime Minister-designate Dimitar Glavchev, whom he tasked with forming a caretaker government to lead the country until the election. Glavchev presented a list of 19 ministers, including a deputy prime minister, to President Radev for the interim cabinet.

Radev stated that he would submit the list to Parliament tomorrow to allow the ministers to be sworn in and would sign a decree for the early general election to be held on Oct. 27.

“I expect the new interim government to organize the early general elections fairly and transparently,” Radev said.

Glavchev, who also served as prime minister in the previous caretaker government that led the country for 139 days, made some changes to the new cabinet list. Glavchev, who previously held both the prime minister and foreign minister roles, handed over the Foreign Ministry to diplomat Ivan Kondov in the new cabinet.

He also proposed replacing former Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov with Chief of Police Atanas Ilkov. President Radev had opposed Stoyanov’s inclusion in the new government, citing his role in creating political tension.

Members of Parliament, currently on vacation, will convene for an extraordinary session tomorrow to swear in the new ministers.

Due to the political instability that has persisted for over three years, Bulgarian voters will head to the polls for the seventh time on Oct. 27. Voter turnout in the last early election was around 34%, and it is expected to decrease further in the upcoming election.