Bulgarian presidential election, 2016

Bulgarian presidential election, 2016

6 November 2016 (first round) 13 November 2016 (second round)

Turnout 57.47% (1st round)   Nominee Rumen Radev Tsetska Tsacheva Party Independent GERB Alliance BSP Running mate Iliana Yotova Plamen Manushev Popular vote 2,049,260 1,249,043 Percentage 59.35% 36.17%

President before election Rosen Plevneliev GERB Elected President Rumen Radev Independent

Presidential elections were held in Bulgaria on 6 November 2016,^[1] alongside a referendum on changes to the electoral system and political party funding. The second round was held held on 13 November 2016, resulting in the victory of Rumen Radev.

Electoral system

The President of Bulgaria is elected using the two-round system.^[2] For the first time, voters will be allowed to vote for none of the above.^[3]

Candidates

The incumbent President, Rosen Plevneliev, announced in May 2016 that he would not be running for re-election.^[4]

Presidential candidate	Vice presidential running-mate	Party	Notes
Rumen Radev	Iliana Yotova	Independent	General Radev, the former commander of the Bulgarian Air Force,[5] is supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party and was originally endorsed by the Alternative for Bulgarian Revival, but on 23 August 2016 the Bulgarian Socialist Party denied plans for a common coalition for the presidential elections.[6] Yotova is an MP in the European Parliament.
Tsetska Tsacheva	Plamen Manushev	GERB	Tsacheva is the incumbent Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria.[7] Manushev is MP.
Krasimir Karakachanov	Yavor Notev	United Patriots	Karachanov is co-chairman of the Patriotic Front and a Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly.[8] Notev is the Deputy Chair of the Attack party and a Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly.
Traycho Traykov	Sabi Sabev	Reformist Bloc	Traykov is the former Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism and is currently a municipal councilor in Sofia.[9] Sabev is a general in the Bulgarian army.
Ivaylo Kalfin	Lyubomir Halachev	Alternative for Bulgarian Revival	Kalfin is a Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Former Minister of Labour and Social Policy, as well as the BSP presidential candidate in the 2011 election;[10]
Tatyana Doncheva	Mincho Spasov	Movement 21 National Movement for Stability and Progress	Doncheva is a jurist and a former MP;[11] Spasov is a jurist and former MP.
Plamen Oresharski	Danail Papazov	Independent	Oresharski is a former Prime Minister of Bulgaria;[12] Papazov is a former minister of Transport.
George Ganchev	Kolyo Paramov	Christian Social Union	Ganchev is a former MP and three-time presidential candidate.[13] Paramov is an economist and former MP.
Velizar Enchev	Bilyana Grancharova	Movement for Radical Change Bulgarian Spring	Enchev is an independent MP;[14] Grancharova is a jurist.
Veselin Mareshki	Petar Petrov	Independent	Mareshki is a businessman.[15]
Dimiter Marinov	Radoslav Petrov (aka Rado Shisharkata)	Bulgarian National Unification	Marinov (known as Mityo The Pistol) is a popular entertainer and reality show star, having appeared in VIP Brother 1, a spinoff of the Big Brother franchise;[16] Petrov (known as Rado the Fircone) is a pop-folk singer.
Vladimir Kuzov	Borislav Noev	Independent	Kuzov and Noev are former MPs from the union around the Attack party;[17] Their registration in the elections was denied due to insufficient number of signatures gathered.[18]
Aleksandar Tomov	Radoslav Radoslavov	Bulgarian Socialdemocratic-Euroleft
Gospodin Tonev	Andrey Andreev	Bulgarian Democratic Community
Kamen Popov	Georgi Nedelchev	Independent	Popov is a businessman, sportsman. Popov struck the leader of Attack party Volen Siderov.[19]
Svetoslav Vitkov	Ivan Velkov	Independent supported by People's Voice The Greens	Vitkov is a musician, and a municipal councilor in Sofia;[20] Velkov is a Deputy Chairman of the municipal councilor in Sofia. Their registration in the elections was denied due to insufficient number of signatures gathered.[18]
Kemil Ramadan	Momchil Dobrev	Balkanic Democratic League
Nikolay Banev	Sali Ibrayim	Independent	Banev is a businessman;[21] Ibrayim is a former mayor of Momchilgrad
Biser Milanov	Krasimir Nastev	Independent	Milanov is a recidivist;[22] Nastev is a businessman.
Diana Dimitrova	Gabriel Gerasimov	Independent
Yordanka Koleva	Veselin Hristov	Independent
Plamen Paskov	Svetozar Saev	Independent
Rumen Galabinov	Veska Voleva	Independent

Results

Candidate	Party	First round		Second round
		Votes	%	Votes	%
Rumen Radev	Independent	973,754	25.44	2,063,032	59.37
Tsetska Tsacheva	GERB	840,635	21.96	1,256,485	36.16
Krasimir Karakachanov	United Patriots	573,016	14.97
Veselin Mareshki	Independent	427,660	11.17
Plamen Oresharski	Independent	253,726	6.63
Traycho Traykov	Reformist Bloc	224,734	5.87
Ivailo Kalfin	Alternative for Bulgarian Revival	125,531	3.28
Tatyana Doncheva	Movement 21–NDSV	69,372	1.81
George Ganchev	Christian Social Union	27,928	0.73
Velizar Enchev	Movement for Radical Change Bulgarian Spring	18,213	0.48
Dimitar Marinov	Bulgarian National Unification	14,974	0.39
Rumen Galabinov	Independent	10,286	0.27
Plamen Paskov	Independent	10,103	0.26
Aleksandar Tomov	Bulgarian Socialdemocratic-Euroleft	9,513	0.25
Gospodin Tonev	Bulgarian Democratic Community	6,855	0.18
Kemil Ramadan	Balkanic Democratic League	6,089	0.16
Kamen Popov	Independent	5,212	0.14
Diana Dimitrova	Independent	4,362	0.11
Nikolay Banev	Independent	4,196	0.11
Yordanka Koleva	Independent	4,182	0.11
Biser Milanov	Independent	3,215	0.08
None of the above		214,094	5.59	155,411	4.47
Invalid/blank votes		119,925	–	66,036	–
Total		3,947,575	100	3,540,964	100
Registered voters/turnout		7,014,723	56.28	7,020,119	50.44
Source: Electoral Commission of Bulgaria

Aftermath

Following the results of the second round, Prime Minister and GERB leader Boiko Borisov tendered his resignation.^[23] Two days later, on 16 November, the National Assembly voted 218–0 to accept it, possibly resulting in early parliamentary elections.^[24]

References

1. Global elections calendar NDI
2. Bulgaria IFES
3. Bulgaria’s 2016 presidential elections: Voters to have ‘I don’t support anyone’ option Sofia Glove, 9 October 2016
4. "Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev Won't Seek Second Term in 2016 Elections". Novinite.com. Sofia News Agency. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
5. "The President of the Republic of Bulgaria Gen. Rumen Radev MiG 29 Fulcrum MEMORABLE Flight Display". 8 November 2014 – via YouTube.
6. "Румен Радев - генералът, когото левицата избра да води битката ѝ".
9. Traicho Traikov is the Reformist Bloc's presidential candidate BNT, 1 September 2016
10. "Първо в "24 часа": Калфин ще е кандидатът на АБВ за президент".
11. "Татяна Дончева и Минчо Спасов влизат заедно в кандидатпрезидентската битка (допълнена)".
12. "Пламен Орешарски се кандидатира за президент".
13. "Жорж Ганчев и Кольо Парамов убедени, че ще спечелят президентските избори". 31 May 2016.
14. "И Велизар Енчев влиза в битката за държавен глава". 8 September 2016.
15. "Марешки все пак ще се кандидатира за президент".
16. "Митьо Пищова и Радо Шишарката щурмуват президентството". 12 September 2016.
17. "Предозиране: И Владимир Кузов поиска да е президент".
18. "Светослав Витков и Владимир Кузов отпадат от изборите, не са събрали подписи" [Svetoslav Vitkov and Vladimir Kuzov drop out of the elections, they have not gathered signatures]. www.dnevnik.bg (in Bulgarian). 5 October 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
19. "Камен Попов - рокерът кандидат-президент - bgonair.bg".
20. news.bg (14 September 2016). "Светльо Витков и "Зелените" отиват заедно на президентския вот".
21. Рошкев, Стоил. "Кои са кандидатпрезидентските двойки".
22. "Бисер Миланов се включва в президентската надпревара - БЛИЦ - Новини от България и света".
23. Bulgarian PM Borisov tenders his government resignation Reuters, 14 November 2016
24. "Bulgarian MPs Accept PM Borisov's Resignation". Novinite.com. Sofia News Agency. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.