The new rhetoric of the Bulgarian politicians and its impact on the results of the last presidential and parliamentary elections

Abstract

The functioning of a modern democratic state is impossible without periodic free elections and carefully thought-out electoral procedures. The most important trend in this process is the search for electoral systems that fully take into account the will of citizens and its adequate representation in state bodies. The author proves that during the last presidential and parliamentary election campaigns, which took place in the Republic of Bulgaria, quite unexpected for the state new electoral preferences were found. The Bulgarian Parliament has quickly changed to a new paradigm of political rhetoric without changing its structure. «Pro-Euro-Atlantic» parties (Reformist bloc, DVST) did not make it to the Parliament, and those that are represented in the National Assembly (GERB, BSP, DPS) quite painlessly switched to «Patriotic» or «statist» rhetoric. Nationalist parties, which are most consistent with the new situation, were able to understand the situation in time: they united and in a new form were able to get a place in the government. Therefore, they made a bid to say goodbye to their previous role in Bulgarian politics and to become a part of respectable participants in the political process.

Keywords: Republic of Bulgaria, presidential and parliamentary elections, political parties, political rhetoric