Communist Bulgaria fell in 1989, being replaced by a democratic system with severe economic challenges and deep political reforms. In 2007, Bulgaria joined the EU hoping to strengthen democratic institutions and economic growth. However, Bulgaria still faces lots of domestic problems with corruption and institutional failure.
The case of Corpbank’s failure in 2014 highlighted some of the democratic erosion in Bulgarian institutions. Peevski, the head of the State Agency for National Security, was closely tied with the owner of the bank and as a result it “was viewed as the “political bank” given that a substantial portion of state-owned enterprise (SOE) holdings, state agencies, and ministry capital had been kept there.” This integration of the private sector with the state displays the corruption and growing executive aggrandizement of institutions. The line between politics, business, and media slowly became blurred.
Additionally, Bulgaria has seen a large decrease in public trust and growing loyalty within institutions. In 2015, judicial reform that would have decreased political influence on judges was vetoed by the Parliament. It was speculated that the Prosecutor General may have made negotiations behind the scenes to maintain power. Despite the reforms being vetoed in a legal manner, this represents the strategic erosion of checks and balances. The Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017 also found that Bulgaria has high favoritism in decisions of government officials.
In terms of favoritism, this is also observed through the prosecution of opponents. The arrest of Blagomir Kotsev, mayor of the coastal city of Varna, emphasizes the corruption where politicians attempt to delegitimize opposition leaders. In fact, the prime minister at the time, Borissov used populist techniques, he “presents himself as an ordinary man, a former firefighter; he draws a negative contrast with the educated elites of central Sofia.” It is clear that although Bulgaria still considers itself a democracy, it has eroded many of the institutions and norms necessary for a democracy.
After looking at the background of Bulgarian democracy in the last decade, the upcoming election this Sunday on April 19th could mark a significant change. With Rumen Radev currently leading in the race, the election creates a tense situation where the country could either erode further or rebuild some of its institutions. Radev has built his campaign around anti-corruption and criticism of intertwined elites in order to appeal to a population that has become increasingly tired of repeated government instability and institutional failure. According to a report from Reuters, his platform emphasizes dismantling oligarchic influence and restoring government accountability. This plan could decrease the consolidation of power present today, however he could also be using populist strategies himself.
Additionally, structural issues within Bulgaria’s political system may limit the extent of democratic recovery possible regardless of the election outcome. The country’s fragmented party system and consistently transitioning governments raise the probability of continued instability, which can further erode public trust and create openings for more undemocratic political strategies. Bulgaria is also among EU countries experiencing sustained rule-of-law decline, reinforcing concerns that democratic erosion is not only ongoing but deepening.
Overall, the election represents an important test for Bulgarian democracy. It offers a chance for government accountability and reform, but it also presents the risk of reinforcing the dynamics of populism, weakened institutions, and centralized power that have contributed to democratic erosion over the past decade.
It is interesting that Bulgaria has seen a decrease in public trust and growing loyalty. The lack of mutual toleration seen through the arrest of Blagomir Kotsev is an interesting display of what Müller would describe as anti pluralism. With Borissov showing himself as a “ordinary man” and “firefighter” is an interesting example of Borissov presenting himself against the ‘corrupt’ elite which is a classic strategy used by populist leaders. With the structure of Bulgaria’s political system, it is interesting to wonder how Bulgaria can recover. Since the government continues to collapse, it will be interesting to see if Bulgaria can break their cycle of instability.