BULGARIA: parliamentary elections Narodno Sobranie, 2001

BULGARIA
Parliamentary Chamber: Narodno Sobranie

ELECTIONS HELD IN 2001

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Chamber:

Narodno Sobranie

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

17 June 2001

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats in the National Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.

Background and outcome of elections:

President Petar Stoyanov announced the date of parliamentary elections in March 2001. This was the first time since the end of the communist era in 1990 that Parliament and Government had completed their full four-year term.
The Central Election Committee (CEC) registered a total of 65 parties and 11 independent candidates for the 2001 parliamentary elections. One of the parties was the National Movement Simeon II (NDSV) of the former King of Bulgaria, Simeon II. He had been forced to create a coalition with the Bulgarian Women's Party and the Movement for National Revival after the Sofia City Court refused to register his movement because it did not meet all of the requirements. Fifteen out of the 65 registered parties withdrew before election day, while others did not submit candidate lists in a single constituency, reducing the number of contesting parties to 31.
The electoral campaign officially started on 17 May and ended on 15 June 2001, and was mostly calm. Nevertheless, it was characterised by negative campaigning as well as allegations of possible vote-rigging and election fraud.
The elections were carried out in an orderly manner. The International Elections Observation Mission (a joint team from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Right and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) affirmed that the poll was in line with international standards on democratic elections.
The NDSV obtained 120 of the 240 seats in Parliament, one short of an outright majority. The centre-right Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) won 51 seats, the Socialist Party 48 and the Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MDL) 21.
On 24 July 2001, the former King, Simeon of Saxe Coburg-Gotha was sworn in as Prime Minister. A week before, his party had struck a coalition deal with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MDL), the party representing the ethnic Turkish minority.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (17 June 2001): Elections results

Number of registered electors 6 845 875

Voters 4 607 769 (67 %)

Blank or invalid ballot papers 79 877

Valid votes 4 527 892

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group Votes %

Simeon II National Movement 1 951 859 42.73

Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) 830 059 18.17

For Bulgaria 783 107 17.14

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) 340 510 7.45

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total

Simeon II National Movement 120

Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) 51

For Bulgaria 48

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) 21

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 177

Women: 63

Percent of women: 26.25

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for BULGARIA <<<

Chamber:
	Narodno Sobranie
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	17 June 2001
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in the National Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	President Petar Stoyanov announced the date of parliamentary elections in March 2001. This was the first time since the end of the communist era in 1990 that Parliament and Government had completed their full four-year term. The Central Election Committee (CEC) registered a total of 65 parties and 11 independent candidates for the 2001 parliamentary elections. One of the parties was the National Movement Simeon II (NDSV) of the former King of Bulgaria, Simeon II. He had been forced to create a coalition with the Bulgarian Women's Party and the Movement for National Revival after the Sofia City Court refused to register his movement because it did not meet all of the requirements. Fifteen out of the 65 registered parties withdrew before election day, while others did not submit candidate lists in a single constituency, reducing the number of contesting parties to 31. The electoral campaign officially started on 17 May and ended on 15 June 2001, and was mostly calm. Nevertheless, it was characterised by negative campaigning as well as allegations of possible vote-rigging and election fraud. The elections were carried out in an orderly manner. The International Elections Observation Mission (a joint team from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Right and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) affirmed that the poll was in line with international standards on democratic elections. The NDSV obtained 120 of the 240 seats in Parliament, one short of an outright majority. The centre-right Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) won 51 seats, the Socialist Party 48 and the Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MDL) 21. On 24 July 2001, the former King, Simeon of Saxe Coburg-Gotha was sworn in as Prime Minister. A week before, his party had struck a coalition deal with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MDL), the party representing the ethnic Turkish minority.

Round no 1 (17 June 2001): Elections results
Number of registered electors	6 845 875
Voters	4 607 769 (67 %)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	79 877
Valid votes	4 527 892

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Votes	%
Simeon II National Movement	1 951 859	42.73
Union of Democratic Forces (UDF)	830 059	18.17
For Bulgaria	783 107	17.14
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS)	340 510	7.45

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Simeon II National Movement	120
Union of Democratic Forces (UDF)	51
For Bulgaria	48
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS)	21

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	177
Women:	63
Percent of women:	26.25