Four-Party Coalition Forms Bulgaria’s New Government
What Can International Investors Expect from the Government of Kiril Petkov?
After more than seven months of political uncertainty and three parliamentary elections in less than a year, Bulgaria finally has a new government. After both April’s original parliamentary elections and a snap parliamentary vote in July failed to produce a governing majority, the third Bulgarian election of 2021, in November, has eventually seen the emergence and subsequent victory of a new political force, the anti-corruption and centrist We Continue the Change party (PP), which has finally secured a coalition deal with three other parties to step into government.
On 13th December, this new and ideologically diverse parliamentary majority installed a new Cabinet, incorporating members of Bulgaria’s Caretaker Government, which led the country in the wake of the hung parliaments produced by the two previous elections. Led by former Caretaker Economy Minister Kiril Petkov, the new four-party Cabinet offers hopes of political stability for the short term, however the unity of the coalition could be seriously tested as Bulgaria heads into the next legislative cycle.
With Bulgaria facing a number of significant challenges, including the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in energy prices and efforts to ensure the country’s post-pandemic recovery, Kesarev offers further insight into the composition and priorities of the newly installed Petkov Government, the coalition agreement of the four governing parties, as well as implications for international investors.
