The Bulgarian parliament has failed once again to elect a speaker, marking its ninth unsuccessful attempt. During the latest session, deputies engaged in lengthy debates, which were interrupted by heated exchanges between the different political factions. The session will continue tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. with the tenth attempt to elect the speaker.

The two main candidates for the role were Natalia Kiselova and Silvi Kirilov, who faced off in a run-off, but neither managed to secure enough support. Kiselova garnered 88 votes in favor, 61 against, and 89 abstentions. Kirilov received 99 votes in favor, but 119 against, with 20 abstentions. When Kirilov's candidacy was re-voted, the numbers shifted slightly, but the result remained the same: 100 in favor, 119 against, and 19 abstentions.

The parliamentary session was marked by verbal clashes, and there were multiple breaks during the day’s proceedings. The session began with the nomination of four candidates: Atanas Atanasov, Natalia Kiselova, Petar Petrov, and Silvi Kirilov. After several hours of debate, the parliament proceeded to vote, with none of the candidates securing the necessary support. Atanasov, initially supported by 56 votes, failed to get the required backing, and his second vote showed even fewer supporters. Kiselova, who had previously received 87 votes in her favor, saw her second attempt at voting garner only slightly better results.

Petar Petrov's nomination also failed, with only 45 votes in favor and 129 against. Similarly, Kirilov's candidacy was rejected with 48 votes in favor and 120 against in the first round. Even after a re-vote, Kirilov did not fare better, receiving just 82 votes in favor, with 121 against.

The political parties are divided over their support for the candidates. GERB, the largest party, "confirmed" they would back Atanasov, provided a government coalition could be formed, while the "BSP-United Left" continued to support Kiselova. The "Revival" party nominated Petrov again, and "There Is Such a People" (TISP) put forward Kirilov.

The failure to elect a speaker is yet another setback for the Bulgarian parliament, which has been struggling to form a government since the elections on October 27. While the "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) coalition nominated Atanasov for speaker, their candidate only received support from their own group and the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS). GERB, on the other hand, backed Kiselova.

Despite the disagreements and deadlock, there is still a possibility that political forces may find a way to unblock the process in the future. However, with the tenth attempt scheduled for tomorrow, it remains uncertain whether an agreement will be reached to elect a speaker and allow the parliament to move forward with its work.

Sources:

• Bulgarian News Agency (BTA)
• Bulgarian National Television (BNT)
• OFFNews
• Novini.bg