We will show that parliament has no alternative, that it is more correct to approve the laws people expect us to, said Volen Siderov, leader of Ataka junior coalition party. Deputy Prime Minister Krasimir Karakachanov and leader of another junior coalition partner, VMRO, stated that despite their differences on different draft laws, the United Patriots are obligated to form a majority and to support the government until the end of its term of office.

The amendments to the electoral law, which include a drastic rise in the preferential vote threshold and keeping the current members of the Central Election Commission even though its term expires in March, were voted by parliament at second reading last week, causing an uproar.

Today’s meeting of the GERB-led coalition was called by GERB leader Boyko Borissov after the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, said they were leaving the National Assembly in protest against the amendments to the electoral law. In consequence, GERB officially submitted a draft bill for a return to the previous preferential voting system and for the election of new members of the Central Electoral Commission.

The BSP is standing by its decision to leave parliament even though the ruling coalition has submitted a proposal for amendments that would reverse last week’s vote by the National Assembly. The BSP says it wants its other demands regarding the electoral law to be met.