Record 23 candidates in Bulgaria’s November 2016 presidential elections
A record 23 candidates are standing in Bulgaria’s November 2016 presidential elections, it emerged as ballot numbers were drawn on October 5, the day after the deadline for registration passed.
The number is the highest since Bulgaria first held democratic elections for president in 1992.
There were 24 applicant tickets of presidential and vice-presidential candidates but the Central Election Commission declined one application because of an insufficient number of signatures on the application.
The candidates for president and vice-president, and the bodies nominating them are, respectively:
Tsetska Tsacheva and Plamen Manushev (GERB)
Roumen Radev and Iliyana Yotova (a Bulgarian Socialist Party-run initiative committee)
Traicho Traikov and Subi Subev (Reformist Bloc)
Krassimir Karakachanov and Yavor Notev (United Patriots – National Movement for the Salvation of Bulgaria, Ataka and VMRO)
Ivailo Kalfin and Lyubomir Halachev (“Kalfin – President” initiative committee, of ABC and some minority party allies)
All of the above are nominated directly or indirectly by parties represented in the National Assembly.
The following are nominated by parties, coalitions or initiative committees without representation in Parliament:
Svetoslav Vitkov and Ivan Velkov (initiative committee)
Vesselin Mareshki and Petar Petrov (initiative committee)
Velizar Enchev and Bilyana Gruncharova (Movement for Radical Change Bulgarian Spring, political party)
Plamen Oresharski and Danail Papazov (standing as independents)
George Ganchev and Kolyo Paramov (Christian Democratic Union)
Diana Dimitrova and Gabriel Gerassimov (standing as independents)
Bisser “The Stain” Milanov and Krassimir Nastev (standing as independents)
Vladimir Kuzov and Borisslav Noev (standing as independents)
Alexander Tomov and Radoslav Radoslavov (Bulgarian Social Democrats – Euroleft, political party)
Yordanka Koleva and Vesselin Hristov (initiative committee)
Tatyana Doncheva and Mincho Spassov (Movement 21 – NMSP, political election coalition)
Gospodin Tonchev and Andrei Andreev (Bulgarian Democratic Union, political party)
Kamen Popov and Georgi Nedelchev (standing as independents)
Roumen Gulbinov and Veska Voleva (initiative committee)
Kemal Ramadan and Momchil Dobrev (Balkan Democratic League, political party)
Plamen Paskov and Svetozar Suev (standing as independents)
Dimitar “Mityo Pishtova” Marinov and Radoslav “Rado Shisharkata” Petrov (Bulgarian National Union, political party)
Nikolai Banev and Sali Ibryam (standing as independents)
In Bulgaria’s 2011 presidential elections, there were 18 candidates. In 2006, there were seven. In 2001, there were six. In 1996, there were 13.
In 1992, there were 21 candidates. Only four candidates got more than one per cent of the vote.
Voting in the 2016 Bulgarian presidential elections will be on November 6, along with a national referendum. If no candidate in the presidential elections gets 50+1 of the ballots cast at the first round, a second round will be held on November 13.
