# 2024 European Parliament election in Bulgaria

The 2024 European Parliament election in Bulgaria was held on 9 June 2024 as part of the 2024 European Parliament election. This was the country’s fifth parliamentary election since its accession to the EU in 2007, and the first to take place after Brexit. Bulgaria also held a separate national parliamentary election that day.

## Electoral system

The 17 members are elected through semi-open list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency with seats allocated through largest remainder method. The threshold is the number of valid votes divided by the number of members of the European parliament from Bulgaria, which is roughly 5.9%.
All people who have Bulgarian citizenship and a main residence in Bulgarian, Bulgarian citizens without residence in Bulgaria (Bulgarians abroad) and other Union citizens if their main residence is in Bulgaria are entitled to vote in the European elections in Bulgaria. In addition, those eligible to vote must turn 18 years old by election day at the latest and be registered in the voter register/European voter register of a local Bulgarian administration on the deadline date. Voting is compulsory for Bulgarian citizens but the obligation is not enforced and no penalties are envisaged for those who don't vote.

## Outgoing delegation

The table shows the detailed composition of the Bulgarian seats at the European Parliament as of 24 January 2024.
| EP Group | EP Group | Seats | Party | Party | Seats | MEPs |
| | European People's Party | 7 / 17 | | Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria | 5 | Asim AdemovAndrey KovatchevEva MaydellAndrey NovakovEmil Radev |
| | European People's Party | 7 / 17 | | Union of Democratic Forces | 1 | Alexander Yordanov |
| | European People's Party | 7 / 17 | | Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria | 1 | Radan Kanev |
| | Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats | 5 / 17 | | Bulgarian Socialist Party | 5 | Ivo HristovTsvetelina PenkovaSergei StanishevPetar VitanovElena Yoncheva |
| | Renew Europe | 3 / 17 | | Movement for Rights and Freedoms | 3 | Atidzhe Alieva-VeliIlhan KyuchyukIskra Mihaylova |
| | European Conservatives and Reformists | 2 / 17 | | VMRO – Bulgarian National Movement | 2 | Angel DzhambazkiAndrei Slabakov |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 17 | |
| Source: European Parliament |||||||

### MEPs not standing for re-election

| Name | Party | Date announced |
| Petar Vitanov | PES-affiliated independent politician (ex BSP member) | 24 April 2024 |
| Ivo Hristov | BSP | 29 April 2024 |
| Sergey Stanishev | BSP | 30 April 2024 |
| Aleksandar Yordanov | SDS | 7 May 2024 |
| Atidzhe Alieva-Veli | DPS | 7 May 2024 |

## Running parties
### Contesting parties and coalitions

Below is the official list of parties and coalitions that registered lists for the European Parliamentary elections.
| # | Party or coalition | Party or coalition | Party or coalition | Party or coalition | Ideology | Lead Candidate | 2019 result | 2019 result |
| # | Party or coalition | Party or coalition | Party or coalition | Party or coalition | Ideology | Lead Candidate | Votes (%) | Seats |
| 1 | | There is Such a People | There is Such a People | There is Such a People | Right-wing populism | Ivaylo Vulchev | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 2 | | Peoples Voice | Peoples Voice | Peoples Voice | Right-wing populism | Svetoslav Vitkov | 0.31% | 0 / 17 |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | National Movement for Stability and Progress | Liberalism | Tsveta Kirilova | 1.09% | 0 / 17 |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Conservative Union of the Right | National conservatism Anti-communism | Tsveta Kirilova | DNP | DNP |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Bulgarian Democratic Forum [bg] | National conservatism Anti-communism | Tsveta Kirilova | DNP | DNP |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Movement for Democratic Action-DZ | Liberal conservatism | Tsveta Kirilova | DNP | DNP |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Bulgaria for Citizens Movement | Liberalism | Tsveta Kirilova | DNP | DNP |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Conservative Bulgaria | National conservatism | Tsveta Kirilova | 1.15% | 0 / 17 |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Radical-Democratic Party | Social conservatism Anti-communism | Tsveta Kirilova | Rise | Rise |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Bulgarian New Democracy | Liberal conservatism | Tsveta Kirilova | DNP | DNP |
| 3 | | Blue Bulgaria | | Agrarian People's Union | Agrarianism Conservatism | Tsveta Kirilova | DNP | DNP |
| 4 | | We Citizens | | Bulgarian Spring [bg] | Left-wing nationalism | Plamen Paskov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 4 | | We Citizens | | Bulgarian Workers-Peasant Party | Marxism-Leninism | Plamen Paskov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 4 | | We Citizens | | Competence, Responsibility and Truth [bg] | Populism Euroscepticism | Plamen Paskov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 4 | | We Citizens | | Natsiya [bg] | Ultranationalism Hard Euroscepticism | Plamen Paskov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 5 | | Independent candidate | Independent candidate | Independent candidate | Independent candidate | Kuzman Iliev | DNP | DNP |
| 6 | | Bulgarian Voice | | Bulgarian Voice | Bulgarian nationalism | Georgi Popov | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 6 | | Bulgarian Voice | | Alternative for Bulgaria | National conservatism | Georgi Popov | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 7 | | Coalition of the Rose [bg] | | Bulgarian Social Democracy-EuroLeft | Social Democracy | Aleksandr Tomov | DNP | DNP |
| 7 | | Coalition of the Rose [bg] | | United Block of Labour [bg] | Social democracy Labourism | Aleksandr Tomov | DNP | DNP |
| 7 | | Coalition of the Rose [bg] | | Patriotism 2000 | | Aleksandr Tomov | DNP | DNP |
| 8 | | Center | | Svovoda [bg] | Bulgarian nationalism | Vasil Bozhkov | DNP | DNP |
| 8 | | Center | | Bulgarian Agrarian Party | Agrarianism | Vasil Bozhkov | DNP | DNP |
| 8 | | Center | | National Movement "Center" | Anti-corruption Populism | Vasil Bozhkov | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 9 | | Solidary Bulgaria | | Bulgarian Left | Democratic socialism | Vanya Grigorova | DNP | DNP |
| 9 | | Solidary Bulgaria | | United Social-Democracy [bg] | Social democracy | Vanya Grigorova | DNP | DNP |
| 9 | | Solidary Bulgaria | | Stand Up.BG | Social democracy Left-wing populism | Vanya Grigorova | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 9 | | Solidary Bulgaria | | Solidarity Bulgaria | Labourism Social democracy | Vanya Grigorova | 0.48% | 0 / 17 |
| 10 | | Unification | Unification | Unification | Centrism Liberalism | Yani Andreev | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 11 | | Bulgarian National Unification | Bulgarian National Unification | Bulgarian National Unification | Bulgarian nationalism National conservatism | Dimitar Bunov | 0.12% | 0 / 17 |
| 12 | | Revival | Revival | Revival | Ultra-nationalism Social conservatism | Stanislav Stoyanov | 1.04% | 0 / 17 |
| 13 | | Morality, Unity, Honour | Morality, Unity, Honour | Morality, Unity, Honour | Anti-corruption Social conservatism | Radostin Vasilev | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 14 | | PP–DB | | We Continue the Change | Liberalism Anti-corruption | Nikola Minchev | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 14 | | PP–DB | | Volt Bulgaria | European federalism Pro-Europeanism | Nikola Minchev | 0.18% | 0 / 17 |
| 14 | | PP–DB | | Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria | Conservatism Anti-communism | Nikola Minchev | 6.06% | 1 / 17 |
| 14 | | PP–DB | | Yes, Bulgaria! | Liberalism Anti-corruption | Nikola Minchev | 6.06% | 1 / 17 |
| 15 | | People's Party "Truth and Only the Truth" [bg] | People's Party "Truth and Only the Truth" [bg] | People's Party "Truth and Only the Truth" [bg] | Anti-vaccination Conspiracy theory support | Ventsislav Angelov [bg] | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 16 | | Bulgarian Rise | Bulgarian Rise | Bulgarian Rise | National conservatism | Daniela Vezieva [bg] | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 17 | | Citizens Block | | Bulgarian Democratic Union-Radicals | Bulgarian nationalism | Ivan Geshev | DNP | DNP |
| 17 | | Citizens Block | | Party of Bulgarian Women | Women's issues | Ivan Geshev | DNP | DNP |
| 17 | | Citizens Block | | Citizens Block | Anti-corruption Social conservatism | Ivan Geshev | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 18 | | Society for a New Bulgaria [bg] | Society for a New Bulgaria [bg] | Society for a New Bulgaria [bg] | Social conservatism | Dimitar Tashev [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 19 | | The Left! | | Alternative for Bulgarian Revival | Social democracy Moderate social conservatism | Valeri Zhablyanov [bg] | 0.86% | 0 / 17 |
| 19 | | The Left! | | ex-BSP faction | Social democracy | Valeri Zhablyanov [bg] | BSP | BSP |
| 19 | | The Left! | | Movement 21 | Social democracy | Valeri Zhablyanov [bg] | 0.21% | 0 / 17 |
| 19 | | The Left! | | Agrarian Union "Aleksandar Stamboliyski" | Agrarianism | Valeri Zhablyanov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 19 | | The Left! | | Green Party of Bulgaria | Green politics | Valeri Zhablyanov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 19 | | The Left! | | Political Movement "Social Democrats" | Social democracy | Valeri Zhablyanov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 19 | | The Left! | | National Movement for the Salvation of the Fatherland | Left-wing nationalism | Valeri Zhablyanov [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 20 | | Party of the Greens [bg] | Party of the Greens [bg] | Party of the Greens [bg] | Green politics Left-wing nationalism | Todor Angelov | 0.30% | 0 / 17 |
| 21 | | We Are Coming | We Are Coming | We Are Coming | Anti-corruption Liberalism | Nikolay Hadjigenov | Rise | Rise |
| 22 | | GERB—SDS | | GERB | Social conservatism Pro-Europeanism | Rosen Zhelyazkov | 30.13% | 6 / 17 |
| 22 | | GERB—SDS | | SDS | Christian Democracy Anti-communism | Rosen Zhelyazkov | 30.13% | 6 / 17 |
| 22 | | GERB—SDS | | George's Day Movement | National conservatism Bulgarian nationalism | Rosen Zhelyazkov | 30.13% | 6 / 17 |
| 23 | | Bulgarian National Union | Bulgarian National Union | Bulgarian National Union | Ultranationalism Neo-nazism | Boyan Rasate [bg] | DNP | DNP |
| 24 | | BSP for Bulgaria | | BSP | Social conservatism Social democracy | Kristian Vigenin | 23.53% | 5 / 17 |
| 24 | | BSP for Bulgaria | | Ecoglasnost | Green politics Environmentalism | Kristian Vigenin | 23.53% | 5 / 17 |
| 24 | | BSP for Bulgaria | | Political Club "Trakiya" [bg] | Left wing nationalism | Kristian Vigenin | 23.53% | 5 / 17 |
| 25 | | Velichie | Velichie | Velichie | Bulgarian nationalism Anti-corruption | Nikolay Markov | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 26 | | VMRO | VMRO | VMRO | National conservatism Bulgarian nationalism | Angel Dzhambazki | 7.14% | 2 / 17 |
| 27 | | Political Party Direct Democracy [bg] | Political Party Direct Democracy [bg] | Political Party Direct Democracy [bg] | Bulgarian nationalism Direct democracy | Petar Klisarov [bg] | 0.12% | 0 / 17 |
| 28 | | Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Turkish minority interests Liberalism | Dzhevdet Chakarov | 16.05% | 3 / 17 |
| 29 | | Green Movement | Green Movement | Green Movement | Green liberalism Green politics | Borislav Sandov | Democratic Bulgaria | Democratic Bulgaria |
| 30 | | For a Great Bulgaria | For a Great Bulgaria | For a Great Bulgaria | Bulgarian nationalism | Valeri Grigorov [bg] | Did not exist | Did not exist |
| 31 | | Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy [bg] | Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy [bg] | Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy [bg] | Direct democracy | Daniel Bozhilov | DNP | DNP |

## Campaign
### PP–DB
#### PP

On 24 January, after internal discussions, PP announced that their lead candidate for the EP elections would be the former Speaker of the 47th National Assembly and current MP, Nikola Minchev.
On 18 March, the PP Executive Committee approved a shortlist of 15 candidates, including Daniel Lorer, Yavor Bozhankov, Hristo Petrov (known more commonly by his rapper name Itso Hazarta), Nastimir Ananiev, Iskren Mitev, Hristo Daskalov and Denitsa Simeonova, some of which will end up in the common PP–DB list.
Following the Congress, PP confirmed their intention to participate in the upcoming election in a joint list with Democratic Bulgaria and presented a list of nominees for the list, which included the figures previously presented by the Executive Committee as well as MPs Iva Ruycheva and Miroslav Mavrov.

#### Yes, Bulgaria!

On 19 February, Yes, Bulgaria!, a member of DB, confirmed that the party would nominate candidates for the European Election list through internal elections.
On the 7 April, "Yes, Bulgaria!" officially set the date for their internal elections between the 16 and 18 of April, with a list of nominees for the position similarly being published. The party also confirmed their intention to participate in the EU elections together with PP.
On the 19 April, the party announced that former Bulgarian Ambassador to the United Nations Stefan Tafrov, an MEP candidate in the previous European elections, had won their internal primary.

#### DSB

The DSB, the other member of DB, is the only constituent party within PP–DB which has an MEP within the outgoing European Parliament, that being Radan Kanev.
On 17 January, Kanev confirmed that he would not be interested in becoming the list leader for a joint PP–DB list, although he did confirm his intention to participate in the upcoming EU elections and stated that he had already been nominated as the lead candidate from DSB.

### Revival

Revival announced their list for the European Elections on the 16 of April, with the list being led by current MP Stanislav Stoyanov. Notably, the second position on the list was held by Petar Volgin, a journalist known for his pro-Russian stances.

### DPS

DPS announced their list for the European Elections on the 6 May, being led by the co-leader of the party, Dzhevdet Chakarov, and including incumbent BSP MEP, Elena Yoncheva.

### BSP

The Bulgarian Socialist Party announced their list for the European Parliamentary Elections on the 27th of April, being headed by current MP, former MEP and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Kristian Vigenin. Due to disagreements with party leader Korneliya Ninova, none of the party’s current MEPs, with the exception of Tsvetelina Penkova, ended up in the party’s list.

### Other parties and independents
#### Other parties

On the 16 April, VMRO leader, Krasimir Karakachanov, confirmed the party, which currently has two MEPs in the outgoing European Parliament, intended to contest the upcoming European Elections alone. The VMRO list was to be headed by current MEP, Angel Dzhambazki.
Green Movement, a former member of the PP–DB coalition, similarly announced their intention to participate in the twin European-National elections independently.
Solidary Bulgaria, a new electoral alliance between former Sofia mayoral candidate Vanya Grigorova and IS.BG leader Maya Manolova, will contest the European elections.

#### Independent candidates

Kuzman Iliev, Bulgarian economist and head of the civic organisation "Bulgaria Can", announced his intention to run as an independent on the 14 April 2024.

## Opinion polling

| Polling firm | Fieldwork date | Sample | GERB—SDS EPP | BSPzB S&D | DPS Renew | VMRO ECR | PP–DB Renew-EPP | Revival NI | ITN ECR | Blue Bulgaria ECR | Others | NOTA | Lead |
| Alpha Research | 1-4 June 2024 | 1000 | 25 5 | 7.9 2 | 14.1 3 | — | 15.9 3 | 15.7 3 | 5.9 1 | 2.9 0 | 12.6 | — | 9.1 |
| CAM | 1-4 June 2024 | 821 | 26.2 5 | 8.1 2 | 14.1 3 | — | 17.7 4 | 14.8 3 | 5.3 0 | 2.1 0 | — | — | 8.5 |
| Sova Haris | 29 May-3 June 2024 | 1000 | 26.4 6 | 8.9 2 | 14.4 3 | — | 15.4 3 | 15.3 3 | 5.6 0 | — | 14 | — | 11 |
| Market Links | 22 May-2 June 2024 | 1004 | 28.8 6 | 8.7 2 | 12.4 3 | — | 20.2 4 | 11.4 2 | 3.9 0 | 2.2 0 | 7.4 | 2.1 | 8.6 |
| TREND | 11–18 May 2024 | 1003 | 25.9 5 | 8.1 2 | 14.6 3 | 1.2 0 | 16.1 4 | 15.1 3 | 5.5 0 | 1.8 0 | 12.4 | 5.3 | 9.8 |
| Sova Harris | 8–13 May 2024 | 1000 | 28.3 6 | 10.3 2 | 13.3 3 | — | 15.8 3 | 15 3 | 5.2 0 | — | 11.5 | — | 12.5 |
| MarketLinks | 29 April–9 May 2024 | — | 29.4 6 | 9.3 2 | 13.1 3 | — | 20.6 4 | 12.3 2 | 2.7 0 | 1.7 0 | 6.4 | 4.2 | 8.8 |
| Alpha Research | 28 April–5 May 2024 | 1000 | 25.1 5 | 8.0 2 | 14.4 3 | — | 18.5 4 | 14.8 3 | 4.8 0 | 2.4 0 | 12.0 | — | 6.6 |
| Gallup | 22 April–2 May 2024 | 808 | 26.4 5 | 8.2 2 | 14.9 3 | 1.3 0 | 17.5 4 | 14.7 3 | 4.5 0 | 1.4 0 | 11.1 | — | 8.9 |
| TREND | 12–19 April 2024 | 1002 | 27.2 5 | 9.4 2 | 15.4 3 | — | 17.2 4 | 15.3 3 | 5.1 0 | — | 10.1 | — | 10.1 |
| Gallup | 28 March-5 April 2024 | 805 | 28.7 5 | 10.1 2 | 15.3 3 | — | 18.2 4 | 15.1 3 | 5.5 0 | — | 9.8 | — | 6.2 |
| IPSOS | N/A | N/A | 27.1 5 | 8.8 2 | 13.0 2 | — | 20.9 4 | 15.1 3 | 6.1 1 | — | 8.9 | — | 6.2 |
| Alpha Research | 1-7 March 2024 | 1000 | 27.0 5 | 10.6 2 | 10.0 2 | — | 23.8 5 | 15.8 3 | 5.9 0 | — | 6.9 | — | 3.2 |
| Market Links | 24 February-3 March 2024 | 1058 | 26.4 5 | 9.7 2 | 14.0 3 | — | 22.7 4 | 13.5 3 | 3.8 0 | — | 6.1 | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| 2019 election | 26 May 2019 | — | 30.4 6 | 23.5 5 | 16.1 3 | 7.1 2 | 5.9 1 | 1.0 0 | — | — | 2.6 | 4.1 | 6.9 |

## Results

| | GERB–SDS | 474,059 | 23.55 | 5 | –1 |
| | Movement for Rights and Freedoms | 295,092 | 14.66 | 3 | 0 |
| | We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria | 290,865 | 14.45 | 3 | +2 |
| | Revival | 281,434 | 13.98 | 3 | +3 |
| | BSP for Bulgaria | 141,178 | 7.01 | 2 | –3 |
| | There is Such a People | 121,572 | 6.04 | 1 | New |
| | Velichie | 81,955 | 4.07 | – | New |
| | Morality, Unity, Honour | 51,076 | 2.54 | – | New |
| | VMRO – Bulgarian National Movement | 42,022 | 2.09 | – | –2 |
| | Blue Bulgaria | 24,917 | 1.24 | – | New |
| | Solidary Bulgaria | 24,685 | 1.23 | – | New |
| | Center | 20,869 | 1.04 | – | New |
| | Party of the Greens [bg] | 17,131 | 0.85 | – | 0 |
| | Independent candidate Kuzman Iliev | 11,057 | 0.55 | – | New |
| | The Left! | 10,230 | 0.51 | – | New |
| | Bulgarian Rise | 9,510 | 0.47 | – | New |
| | Green Movement | 8,347 | 0.41 | – | – |
| | People's Voice | 6,921 | 0.34 | – | – |
| | Direct Democracy [bg] | 5,257 | 0.26 | – | – |
| | We Are Coming | 4,999 | 0.25 | – | New |
| | We the Citizens | 4,937 | 0.25 | – | New |
| | Unification | 4,302 | 0.21 | – | New |
| | Bulgarian Voice | 2,821 | 0.14 | – | New |
| | Citizens Bloc | 2,310 | 0.11 | – | New |
| | Coalition of the Rose [bg] | 2,294 | 0.11 | – | New |
| | Society for a New Bulgaria [bg] | 2,073 | 0.10 | – | New |
| | Bulgarian National Union – New Democracy | 1,956 | 0.10 | – | New |
| | For a Great Bulgaria | 1,770 | 0.09 | – | New |
| | People's Party "Truth and Only the Truth" [bg] | 1,733 | 0.09 | – | New |
| | Bulgarian National Unification | 983 | 0.05 | – | – |
| | Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy [bg] | 895 | 0.04 | – | New |
| None of the above | None of the above | 63,810 | 3.17 | – | – |
| Total | Total | 2,013,060 | 100.00 | 17 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,013,060 | 97.05 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 61,238 | 2.95 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,074,298 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 6,170,472 | 33.62 | | |
| Source: Central Electoral Commission, European Parliament ||||||

### Parliamentary groups

| Parliamentary Group | Seats |
| EPP • GERB (4)• SDS (1)• DSB (1) | 6 / 17 |
| RE • DPS (3)• PP (2) | 5 / 17 |
| ESN • Revival (3) | 3 / 17 |
| S&D • BSP (2) | 2 / 17 |
| ECR • ITN (1) | 1 / 17 |