We are Looking at Elections in October

If the third mandate to form a government fails, Bulgaria will face early parliamentary elections in mid-October. Despite hopes from "There Is Such a People" (TISP) for a successful third-term government, forecasts suggest that the 50th National Assembly may not be able to establish a regular cabinet, "Dnevnik" reports. Should this prediction come true, President Rumen Radev will be required to schedule early elections within two months.

Before setting the election date, President Radev must appoint a caretaker prime minister, who will propose a caretaker government. Following a Constitutional Court ruling, the president's choice for a caretaker prime minister is now limited to a specific group of individuals. Potential candidates include:

• Raya Nazaryan, the Speaker of the National Assembly from GERB.
• Dimitar Radev (GERB) or Petar Chobanov (DPS), either of whom could be the governor or deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank. The other deputy governor, Andrey Gyurov from "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria," is currently on unpaid leave and is involved in legal proceedings regarding his removal, which complicates his potential appointment.

Other candidates could be the Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Audit Chamber. This includes current acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev (GERB), Gorica Grancharova-Kozhareva (DPS), or Toshko Todorov (GERB). Additionally, the ombudsman or their deputy could be considered; however, there is currently no elected ombudsman, and Elena Cherneva-Markova, the former deputy, resigned in March. There is no current plan to elect a new ombudsman, with deputies on vacation until August 17.