Seeking Victory in Defeat

Novinite Insider » EDITORIAL | Author: Alex Bivol |May 22, 2007, Tuesday // 00:00
Bulgaria: Seeking Victory in Defeat Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)

It seems that realisation has finally sunk in - Bulgaria's centre-right parties stand no chance of success if they continue to stand divided because of the petty squabbles of their leaders.

For nearly six years now, policy proposals took a back seat as personal ambitions came to the forefront and the rightist-leaning voters were asked to cast their ballots for individuals, rather than their policies.

Inevitably, it led to disappointment, increased absenteism and a freefall for the splinters of the once mighty Union of Democratic Forces.

Each subsequent electoral defeat was met with grave faces and words about the "unification of the right", but matters never got serious.

So what makes it different this time around?

Both Ivan Kostov and Petar Stoyanov, men who have exchanged numerous barbs in the past, talked today about unification, and even Stefan Sofianski, the first UDF heavyweight to jump ship, joined in.

The cynic in me says there is no difference and that any negotiations in the forthcoming months before the local elections will yield no results.

Yet some part of me is hopeful that this time around they will get things right.

Both Stoyanov and Kostov resigned as party chiefs, and, lo and behold, Kostov went as far as saying that he would stay out of any race for the top spot if that helped the process along.

Of all the people, I would have thought him least likely to make this kind of step first and without any public prompting, and his words gave probably quite a few people a small glimmer of hope. The fact that Stoyanov reciprocated is another step in the right direction.

I don't think by any stretch that it will be an easy process, otherwise the reunification would have happened long ago. Indeed, there might have been no split to start with, if it were so easy.

But it looks like they mean it and are willing to go the distance to prove it. For their sake, and the sake of all those who want a strong right, I hope they do. If they fail again, I doubt the voters will give them another shot.

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