During a decisive day of consultations between coalition partners on the presidential veto on changes to the Election Code, the centre-left Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABV) announced it was withdrawing support from the government. Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Minister Ivaylo Kalfin, representative of the formation in government, also resigned. About a month ago the party threatened to withdraw as a sign of disagreement with the amendments to the Election Code, but recent consultations made it clear that it would accept the arguments of the presidential veto. Apparently, it was not disagreement on the Election Code that led to the withdrawal of support.

After the withdrawal of Alternative for Bulgarian Revival, the government now can count on 114 votes in parliament, which is below the minimum of 121 needed for a majority. However, Kalfin's resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Borissov immediately while the Reformist Bloc expressed satisfaction that the only left party which used to be part of the ruling coalition had decided to leave it.

Speaking about the presidential veto a few days ago, the Prime Minister said that it put at risk the stability of the ruling majority and the government. Now the majority has been lost as a result of something else and PM Borissov has to choose between preparations for early elections and continuing to rule together with GERB, the Patriotic Front and the Reformist Bloc, relying on the support of the Bulgarian Democratic Centre, that holds 14 seats in parliament. It is possible that the government could rely on the support of six members of the breakaway DOST party but one should keep in mind that DOST and the Patriotic Front are openly hostile to each other.

Paradoxically, the withdrawal of Alternative for Bulgarian Revival strengthens the position of Democrats for Strong Bulgaria /DSB/, which is part of the Reformist Bloc coalition. Despite being part of this coalition, about a year ago DSB also withdrew its support for the government and now the PM should be more concerned about DSB’s position

The withdrawal of ABV from the centre-right government will probably have its effects on the left political space. Representatives of the Reformist Bloc and the Patriotic Front found a link between the unexpected decision of ABV and the plans of the new leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, Kornelia Ninova, to restructure and unify the left space in the country and to form a center-left government. Currently, BSP denies this link but there are reasons that make it seem plausible. In her first speech in parliament after her election as President of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, Ninova said the ship was sinking and the crew members were leaving because it was “time for an alternative, which comes from the BSP and the left space.”

There are other possible explanations for the withdrawal of ABV from the government. For example it coincides with the beginning of preparations for the upcoming autumn presidential elections. At the end of March, when asked if he would participate as a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections, ABV head Georgi Parvanov said that he would not be seen running for vice president.  Now, a month and a half later, Parvanov stays silent.

English: Alexander Markov