2001 Bulgarian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Bulgaria on 17 June 2001.^[1] The result was a victory for the National Movement – Simeon II, which won 120 of the 240 seats. Following the elections, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the country's last Tsar, who was deposed by the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1946, became prime minister.^[2]

2001 Bulgarian parliamentary election

← 1997 17 June 2001 2005 →
All 240 seats in the National Assembly 121 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	66.63%
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– NDSV Simeon Sakskoburggotski 42.74 120 New ODS Ivan Kostov 18.18 51 −86 KzB Georgi Parvanov 17.15 48 −10 DPS Ahmed Dogan 7.45 21 +2 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Results by constituency Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Ivan Kostov ODS Simeon Sakskoburggotski NDSV

Background

The elections came four years after the last parliamentary elections in 1997, marking the first occasion since the fall of communism that a full term had been completed.^[2] A total of 65 parties registered for the elections, together with eleven independents.^[2]

National Movement – Simeon II was originally prevented from registering by Sofia City Court as it failed to meet the Central Election Committee's requirements. However, after forming an alliance with the Bulgarian Women's Party and the Movement for National Revival, the party was allowed to register.^[2]

Results

48 21 120 51
Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	National Movement Simeon II	1,952,513	42.74	120	New
	United Democratic Forces	830,338	18.18	51	−86
	Coalition for Bulgaria	783,372	17.15	48	−10
	Movement for Rights and Freedoms	340,395	7.45	21	+2
	VMRO–George's Day Movement	165,927	3.63	0	New
	Simeon II Coalition	157,141	3.44	0	New
	National Union for Tsar Simeon II	77,671	1.70	0	New
	Bulgarian Social Democracy	44,637	0.98	0	0
	Union Bulgaria	33,637	0.74	0	New
	Coalition "National Union Tzar Kiro"	27,636	0.60	0	New
	NU Fatherland and Left	21,851	0.48	0	New
	George Ganchev's Bloc	17,272	0.38	0	New
	UAF–BZNS–BZNS(NP)	15,504	0.34	0	0
	Bulgarian Workers' Party	12,579	0.28	0	New
	Democratic Party of Justice	10,822	0.24	0	0
	Bulgarian Socialist Workers' Party	10,797	0.24	0	0
	Bulgarian Communist Party "Fatherland"	9,373	0.21	0	New
	Patriotism 2000	6,077	0.13	0	New
	Union of Patriotic Forces and Militaries of the Reserve Defense	5,227	0.11	0	New
	Bulgarian Democratic Party for United States of Europe and the World	4,804	0.11	0	0
	MDRUSWC–FPFB	4,740	0.10	0	New
	Bulgarian National Party "Social Union"	4,439	0.10	0	New
	Alternative Social-Liberal Party	4,267	0.09	0	New
	Free Cooperative Party	3,935	0.09	0	0
	Bulgarian National-Radical Party	3,018	0.07	0	0
	Social Liberal Movement "Justice"	2,715	0.06	0	New
	National Movement for New Era	2,462	0.05	0	New
	Patriotic Party of Labour	1,601	0.04	0	New
	Alliance for Preservation of the Wealth of Bulgaria	1,414	0.03	0	New
	Party of the Workers' and Social Democratic Intelligentsia	1,033	0.02	0	New
	Bulgarian Fatherland Party "National Union"	623	0.01	0	New
	National Party of Labour, Private Owners, Producers and Creators	524	0.01	0	New
	Bulgarian National Front	202	0.00	0	New
	Bulgarian Business Bloc	162	0.00	0	−12
	Party of the Middle Class	79	0.00	0	New
	Union of the Nation – Movement of the Deprived	39	0.00	0	New
	Independents	9,365	0.21	0	0
Total		4,568,191	100.00	240	0
Valid votes		4,568,191	99.13
Invalid/blank votes		39,944	0.87
Total votes		4,608,135	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		6,916,151	66.63
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, University of Essex

Aftermath

Following the elections, Simeon Sakskoburggotski became prime minister and formed the Sakskoburggotski Government.

A study in the context of the election investigated which societal groups contribute to electoral volatility on the individual level. The findings described that voters belonging to the Turkish minority contribute to party system stability because they were less likely to switch their vote than their Bulgarian or Roma peers. The authors argue that "ethnic socialization provides information shortcuts for vote choice in low-information environments of new democracies." The case is considered evidence that ethnic minorities with relevant ethnic-linguistic parties in new democracies contribute to party system stability.^[3]

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p.369 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. "Bulgaria: Elections held in 2001". Inter-Parliamentary Union.
3. Birnir, Jóhanna Kristín (2007). "Divergence in Diversity? The Dissimilar Effects of Cleavages on Electoral Politics in New Democracies". American Journal of Political Science. 47 (2): 602–619. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5907.2007.00270.x. JSTOR 4620087. Retrieved 27 January 2023.