Parliamentary Elections
 

26 March 2017
The center-right, pro-European GERB party won the most votes, narrowly beating the the pro-Russian Socialists who came in second. Yet GERB did not gain a majority of seats and will be required to form a governing coalition, which the Socialists have already refused to join. Borissov, party leader, thus has to turn to smaller parties to form this coalition, like the far-right United Patriots. Bulgaria is the poorest EU country and is at high risk of Russian influence and capture.

Prime Minister Borissov recently announced he will team up with the United Patriots – itself a coalition of three small parties – that campaigned on a nationalist, pro-Russian platform in the March elections. The coalition has received the necessary vote of confidence in parliament, and is expected to be stable. However, it likely will not have the capacity for implementing real, necessary reform. In addition, Prime Minister Borissov will have to balance his stated goal of deeper integration with the EU, and the United Patriots’ message of friendship toward Russia.