# 2017 Bulgarian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Bulgaria on 26 March 2017. They had originally been scheduled for 2018 at the end of the four-year term of the National Assembly. However, following the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the failure of Bulgarian parties to form a government, early elections were called. Borisov resigned following the defeat of Tsetska Tsacheva, the candidate of his GERB party, in the November 2016 presidential elections. The official election campaign began on 24 February.
GERB won a plurality, with 95 of the 240 seats. Borisov was elected Prime Minister again after negotiating a governing coalition.

## Background

During the 2016 presidential election campaign, Borisov promised to resign if his party's candidate, Chairperson of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva, lost the election.
On 6 November 2016 Tsacheva finished second in the first round to BSP-backed Major General Rumen Radev, receiving only 22% of the popular vote compared to Radev's 25.4%. Following the result, Borisov reiterated his promise to resign if his party's candidate lost the runoff election a week later. On November 13, 2016, she finished a distant second with only 36.2% of the popular vote compared to Radev's 59.4%.
Borisov, staying true to his campaign promise, subsequently resigned on 14 November. Two days later, the National Assembly voted 218–0 to accept it.

## Electoral system

The 240 members of the National Assembly are elected by closed list proportional representation from 31 multi-member constituencies ranging in size from 4 to 16 seats. The electoral threshold is 4%.
Bulgarians abroad were able to vote in 371 voting sections in 70 foreign countries and territories. Some territories were excluded from this provision due to either security concerns (e.g. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria) or that very few resident Bulgarian nationals resident in the country had submitted requests to be enabled to vote (e.g. Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mongolia, North Korea and Pakistan).

## Participating parties

The deadline for political parties to register for the election was 8 February 2017. Despite holding 15 seats in the Assembly, Reload Bulgaria chose not to compete in the election after being initially refused a name change, among other reasons. The list of registered parties is below.
| Party or coalition | Party or coalition | Leader | Ideology | European affiliation |
| GERB | GERB | Boyko Borisov | Conservatism, pro-Europeanism, populism | European People's Party |
| BSP for Bulgaria | Bulgarian Socialist Party | Korneliya Ninova | Socialism, Social democracy | Party of European Socialists |
| BSP for Bulgaria | Agrarian Union "Aleksandar Stamboliyski" | Spas Panchev | Agrarianism | |
| BSP for Bulgaria | Communist Party of Bulgaria | Aleksandar Paunov | Marxism–Leninism | |
| BSP for Bulgaria | New Dawn | Mincho Minchev | Left-wing nationalism | |
| BSP for Bulgaria | Ecoglasnost | | Green politics, Environmentalism | |
| BSP for Bulgaria | Trakia | | | |
| DPS | DPS | Mustafa Karadaya | Liberal democracy, Bulgarian Turk's minority rights and interests | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
| United Patriots | National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria | Valeri Simeonov | Bulgarian ultranationalism, national conservatism, Euroscepticism | Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy |
| United Patriots | Attack | Volen Siderov | Bulgarian nationalism, Euroscepticism | Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty |
| United Patriots | IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement | Krasimir Karakachanov | Bulgarian ultranationalism, national conservatism | European Conservatives and Reformists |
| United Patriots | Average European Class | Georgi Manev | Economic liberalism, Pro-Europeanism, populism | |
| United Patriots | Union of the Patriotic Forces "Defense" | Nikolay Zahariev | Bulgarian nationalism | |
| Reformist Bloc | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union | Nikolay Nenchev | Agrarianism | |
| Reformist Bloc | Bulgarian New Democracy | Borislav Velikov | Liberalism | |
| Reformist Bloc | Bulgaria for Citizens Movement | Meglena Kuneva | Centrism | |
| Reformist Bloc | Union of Democratic Forces | Bozhidar Lukarski | Christian democracy, pro-Europeanism, conservatism | European People's Party |
| Reformist Bloc | People's Voice | Svetoslav Vitkov | Populism | |
| Reformist Bloc | Bulgarian Democratic Forum | Zhaklin Toleva | Nationalism | |
| Volya | Volya | Veselin Mareshki | Populism, Russophilia, Liberal democracy | |
| ABV – Movement 21 | Alternative for Bulgarian Revival | Konstantin Prodanov | Social democracy, Russophilia | |
| ABV – Movement 21 | Movement 21 | Tatyana Doncheva | Social democracy | |
| Movement "Yes, Bulgaria" | Yes, Bulgaria! | Hristo Ivanov | Anti-Corruption | |
| Movement "Yes, Bulgaria" | The Greens | Zaritsa Georgieva, Vladislav Panev | Green politics, Environmentalism | European Green Party |
| Movement "Yes, Bulgaria" | DEOS | Viktor Lilov | Liberalism | |
| Coalition of dissatisfied | Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft | Dimitar Mitev | Social democracy | |
| Coalition of dissatisfied | Christian Social Union | Dimitar Mitev | Christian democracy | |
| Party of the Greens | Party of the Greens | Vladimir Nikolov | Green politics, Environmentalism | European Green Party |
| WHO – Bulgarian Left and Green Party | Bulgarian Left | Hristofor Dochev, Margarita Mileva, Ivan Genov | Democratic socialism | Party of the European Left |
| WHO – Bulgarian Left and Green Party | WHO – Competence, Responsibility and Truth | | | |
| WHO – Bulgarian Left and Green Party | Green Party of Bulgaria | | Green politics, Environmentalism | European Green Party |
| New Republic | Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria | Radan Kanev | National liberalism, pro-Europeanism | European People's Party |
| New Republic | Union for Plovdiv | | | |
| New Republic | Bulgarian democratic community | Gospodin Tonev | | |
| Bulgarian democratic center | Bulgarian democratic center | Krasimira Kovachka, Stefan Kenov | Conservatism | |
| Movement for Radical Change "Bulgarian Spring" | Movement for Radical Change "Bulgarian Spring" | Velizar Enchev | Left-wing nationalism | |
| Bulgarian National Unification | Bulgarian National Unification | Georgi Georgiev | Bulgarian nationalism | |
| Revival | Revival | Kostadin Kostadinov | Bulgarian nationalism | |
| National Republican Party | National Republican Party | Mladen Mladenov | | |
| Movement for an Equal Public Model | Movement for an Equal Public Model | Iliya Iliev | Rights and interests of Gypsies | |
| Movement Forward Bulgaria | Movement Forward Bulgaria | Zornitsa Todorova | | |
| Association DOST | Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance (DOST) | Lyutvi Mestan | Turkish minority rights and interests, Good relations with Turkey | |
| Association DOST | People's Party "Freedom and Dignity" | Orhan Ismailov | Liberalism | |
| Association DOST | National Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Guner Tahir | Turkish minority rights and interests | |

## Opinion polls

Percentages do not account for undecided voters. 'Date' column signifies the last date of the survey in question, not the date of publication.
| Source | Date | Sample size | Margin of error | GERB | BSP | DPS | OP | RB | Volya | Yes! | ABV | Others / None | Lead |
| 2014 election | 5 October 2014 | | | 32.7% | 15.4% | 14.8% | 11.8% | 8.9% | – | – | 4.2% | 12.2% | |
| Trend | 17 January 2017 | 1,002 | ± 3.1% | 32.2% | 29.3% | 7.8% | 10.4% | 3.7% | 5.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 9.0% | 2.9% |
| Alpha Research | 22 January 2017 | 1,024 | ± 3.0% | 32.6% | 28.8% | 7.8% | 10.7% | 3.8% | 4.4% | 2.3% | 1.4% | 8.2% | 3.8% |
| Estat | 22 January 2017 | 1,000 | ± 3.1% | 36.1% | 27.5% | 6.0% | 7.0% | 2.4% | 8.4% | 0.9% | 1.9% | 9.8% | 8.6% |
| Gallup | 30 January 2017 | 816 | ± 3.5% | 27.6% | 28.7% | 8.2% | 11.9% | 4.3% | 7.7% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 7.7% | 1.1% |
| CAM | 7 February 2017 | 1,012 | ± 3.1% | 29.2% | 28.1% | 9.6% | 7.5% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 1.5% | 0.9% | 14.3% | 1.1% |
| Trend | 9 February 2017 | 1,002 | ± 3.1% | 29.7% | 28.7% | 9.0% | 9.9% | 3.4% | 6.5% | 2.3% | 2.0% | 8.5% | 1.0% |
| Sova Haris | 20 February 2017 | 1,003 | ± 3.0% | 31.3% | 31.6% | 6.4% | 10.3% | 6.3% | 7.2% | 0.5% | 3.0% | 3.4% | 0.3% |
| Alpha Research | 23 February 2017 | 1,024 | ± 3.0% | 31.5% | 29.6% | 6.8% | 10.8% | 3.9% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 6.2% | 1.9% |
| AFIS | 27 February 2017 | 1,200 | ± 3.0% | 28.2% | 30.5% | 6.7% | 8.5% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 1.3% | 3.3% | 12.0% | 2.3% |
| Estat | 28 February 2017 | 1,000 | ± 3.1% | 29.5% | 30.2% | 6.4% | 8.6% | 3.9% | 11.8% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 5.8% | 0.7% |
| Gallup | 5 March 2017 | 1,003 | ± 3.1% | 28.3% | 30.2% | 8.2% | 11.9% | 4.3% | 7.4% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 4.8% | 1.9% |
| Institute of Modern Politics | 6 March 2017 | 827 | ± 3.1% | 29.1% | 29.0% | 7.3% | 9.5% | 3.5% | 5.8% | 1.7% | 4.1% | 10.0% | 0.1% |
| Gallup | 15 March 2017 | 1,012 | ± 3.0% | 29.9% | 30.3% | 8.1% | 11.5% | 4.4% | 6.5% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 3.6% | 0.4% |
| Estat | 15 March 2017 | 1,000 | ± 3.1% | 29.7% | 27.2% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 6.1% | 10.5% | 1.3% | 2.6% | 5.7% | 2.5% |
| AFIS | 16 March 2017 | 1,010 | ± 3.0% | 31.2% | 31.5% | 8.5% | 9.9% | 4.4% | 5.3% | 1.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 0.3% |
| Trend | 16 March 2017 | 1,004 | ± 3.1% | 29.8% | 27.9% | 8.7% | 10.2% | 3.8% | 7.3% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 7.6% | 1.9% |
| CAM | 16 March 2017 | 1,012 | ± 3.1% | 29.6% | 29.0% | 10.8% | 10.0% | 3.5% | 6.2% | 1.9% | 1.5% | 7.5% | 0.6% |
| Mediana | 20 March 2017 | 1,010 | ± 3.0% | 26.6% | 27.7% | 11.1% | 10.2% | 5.1% | 9.6% | 1.1% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 1.1% |
| Institute of Modern Politics | 20 March 2017 | 805 | ± 3.1% | 28.5% | 29.0% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 4.0% | 9.6% | 2.0% | 4.5% | 3.2% | 0.5% |
| Gallup | 21 March 2017 | 1,012 | ± 3.0% | 27.1% | 26.5% | 9.7% | 12.3% | 3.8% | 8.2% | 2.4% | 2.6% | 7.4% | 0.6% |
| Alpha Research | 22 March 2017 | 1,033 | ± 3.0% | 31.7% | 29.1% | 8.4% | 8.9% | 4.0% | 6.8% | 2.5% | 2.9% | 5.7% | 2.6% |
| Exacta | 22 March 2017 | 1,000 | ± 3.0% | 31.2% | 28.1% | 7.6% | 10.5% | 4.0% | 6.5% | 1.5% | 2.6% | 8.0% | 3.1% |
    ^ Combined result of the Patriotic Front and Attack.

## Results

Five parties crossed the 4% threshold required to gain seats. GERB maintained their position as the largest party.
| | GERB | 1,147,292 | 32.65 | –0.0 | 95 | +11 |
| | BSP for Bulgaria | 955,490 | 27.19 | +11.8 | 80 | +41 |
| | United Patriots | 318,513 | 9.07 | +4.3 | 27 | –3 |
| | Movement for Rights and Freedoms | 315,976 | 8.99 | –5.9 | 26 | –12 |
| | Volya | 145,637 | 4.15 | New | 12 | New |
| | Reformist Bloc | 107,407 | 3.06 | –5.8 | 0 | –23 |
| | Yes, Bulgaria! | 101,177 | 2.88 | New | 0 | New |
| | Association DOST | 100,479 | 2.86 | New | 0 | New |
| | New Republic | 86,984 | 2.48 | New | 0 | New |
| | Alternative for Bulgarian Revival–Movement 21 | 54,412 | 1.55 | –2.6 | 0 | –11 |
| | Revival | 37,896 | 1.08 | New | 0 | New |
| | Party of the Greens | 10,159 | 0.29 | –0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| | Bulgarian Spring | 9,232 | 0.26 | New | 0 | New |
| | Forward Bulgaria Movement | 6,644 | 0.19 | New | 0 | New |
| | Coalition of the Dissatisfied | 5,945 | 0.17 | New | 0 | New |
| | Movement for an Equal Public Model | 4,989 | 0.14 | New | 0 | New |
| | Bulgarian National Unification | 3,921 | 0.11 | New | 0 | New |
| | Bulgarian Democratic Center | 3,130 | 0.09 | New | 0 | New |
| | WHO–BL–ZP | 2,916 | 0.08 | | 0 | 0 |
| | National Republican Party | 2,325 | 0.07 | New | 0 | New |
| | Independents | 5,116 | 0.15 | –0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| None of the above | None of the above | 87,850 | 2.50 | – | – | – |
| Total | Total | 3,513,490 | 100.00 | – | 240 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 3,513,490 | 95.41 | | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 169,009 | 4.59 | | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 3,682,499 | 100.00 | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 6,838,235 | 53.85 | | | |
| Source: CIK |||||||

### Voter demographics

Gallup exit polling suggested the following demographic breakdown.
Voter demographics :
| Social group | % GERB | % BSP | % OP | % DPS | % Volya | % RB | % Yes! | % DOST | % Others | % Lead |
| Exit poll result | 33 | 28 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Final result | 32.7 | 27.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 8 | 5.5 |
| Gender |||||||||||
| Men | 31 | 25 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Women | 33 | 30 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3 |
| Age |||||||||||
| 18–30 | 32 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 18 |
| 30-60 | 34 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 11 |
| 60+ | 26 | 44 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 18 |
| Highest Level of Education |||||||||||
| Lower education | 21 | 28 | 6 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
| Secondary education | 34 | 26 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Higher education | 32 | 28 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| Ethnic Group |||||||||||
| Bulgarian | 34 | 30 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 4 |
| Turkish | 14 | 8 | 0 | 53 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 34 |
| Roma | 28 | 21 | 2 | 23 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 5 |
| Location |||||||||||
| Towns and villages | 28 | 26 | 8 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 2 |
| Smaller cities | 29 | 32 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Larger cities | 35 | 27 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 8 |
| Sofia | 33 | 23 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 10 |
| How they vote in second round of 2016 presidential election |||||||||||
| Rumen Radev - 53,4% | 9 | 48 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 37 |
| Tsetska Tsacheva - 30,5% | 75 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 71 |
| No one/didn't vote - 16,1% | 25 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 12 |

## Aftermath and government formation

Boyko Borisov appeared set to resume his tenure as Prime Minister, possibly with a coalition with the United Patriots, and ultimately formed the Third Borisov Government with the United Patriots.