Bulgaria's Socialist Party Celebrates Gains While Addressing Voter Concerns in Parliament

Atanas Zafirov, chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and leader of the "BSP - United Left" coalition, stated that they have successfully halted the decline of the left following the early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on October 27. He emphasized that the left has maintained its standing despite the political turbulence, with the coalition garnering 7.568 percent of the vote, according to fully processed results from the Central Election Commission (CEC).

Zafirov indicated that the "BSP - United Left" is expected to secure 20 seats in the new 51st parliament. He noted that once the parliamentary group is formed, they will establish mechanisms to guide their discussions and determine potential partners and topics for negotiation.

He expressed confidence in the parliament's capability to govern, suggesting it is now time for parties on the right to present their visions for the country's future. Zafirov remarked that the election results reflect a "doomed" scenario for forming a coalition government, highlighting a troubling 35% voter turnout, which he believes is insufficient and indicates that two-thirds of citizens will remain unrepresented.

Zafirov urged politicians to be more mindful in their communication, stating that the feedback from voters is a call to "not be so noisy" as it distracts from addressing real issues facing the public. He also shared that the BSP - United Left managed to attract an additional 33,000 votes since the elections in June, with a significant increase in support from the capital.

Regions such as Plovdiv, Sofia, Burgas, and Blagoevgrad saw notable gains, with some areas reporting over 2,000 additional votes. Zafirov noted that despite starting from a challenging position,...