Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft

Bulgarian Social-Democracy-Euro-Left
Българска Социалдемокрация-Евролевица
LeaderAleksandr Tomov[1]
Founded1997
Split fromBulgarian Socialist Party
IdeologySocial democracy
Pro-Europeanism
National affiliationBSP – United Left
International affiliationSocialist International (1999–2011)
Website
https://bgsd.eu/

Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft (Bulgarian: Българска социалдемокрация – Евролевица, romanizedBŭlgarska sotsialdemokratsiya – Evrolevitsa; BSDE), formerly Bulgarian EuroLeft (Bulgarian: Българска евролевица, romanizedBŭlgarska evrolevitsa; BEL) is a pro-Western social-democratic[2][3] political party in Bulgaria. The party was established on 22 February 1997 in Sofia.[4][5] The party was formed by former members of the Bulgarian Socialist Party.[6][1]

The BEL was admitted into the Socialist International as an observer affiliate in 1999.[7] The party was in favour of Bulgaria's accession to the European Union.[8]

History

[edit]

Beginnings

[edit]

The party contested the 1997 Bulgarian parliamentary election as the Civil Union for the Republic – Bulgarian Euro-Left, winning 5.5% of the vote and 14 seats in the National Assembly.[5][9] Two deputies from the Bulgarian Business Bloc joined the BEL in February 1998.[5] The party was part of the opposition in the National Assembly.

In 1998, the coalition voted to convert itself into a party, establishing a National Council to lead it.[10]

In 2000, BEL formed into a new party, BSDE.

This new party competed in the 2001 election, and failed to win any seats alongside minor party allies. and following the election, a split off party from the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, the Bulgarian United Social Democratic Party led by Valkana Todorova, merged into BSDE.[11]

Alliances

[edit]

Rose Coalition (2005)

[edit]

In the 2005 election, the party took part in the election in the Rose Coalition. The composition of the coalition was as follows.[12]

Party Leader Ideology
Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft (BSDE) Aleksandr Tomov Social democracy
National Movement for Rights and Freedoms (NDPS) Güner Tahir Minority Rights
United Bloc of Labour [bg] (OBT) Krastyo Petkov Social democracy

Coalition of the Dissatisfied

[edit]

In the 2007 election, the party took part in the election in the Coalition of the Dissatisfied. The composition of the coalition was as follows.[13]

Party Leader Ideology
Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft (BSDE) Aleksandr Tomov Social democracy
Christian Social Union (KSS) Grisha Gospodinov

Together for Change

[edit]

In both the April and July 2021 elections, the party took part in the Together for Change coalition. The composition of the coalition was as follows.[14]

Party Leader Ideology
Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft (BSDE) Aleksandr Tomov Social democracy
European Security and Integration (ESI) Toma Tomov Roma Minority politics
Patriotism 2000 (R2000) Julian Ivanov

Rose Coalition (2024)

[edit]

In the 2024 election, the party took part in the election in the Rose Coalition. The coalition included two of the three former members of the 2005 coalition. NDPS last took part in elections with DOST in 2019. The composition of the coalition was as follows.[15]

Party Leader Ideology
Bulgarian Social Democracy – EuroLeft (BSDE) Aleksandr Tomov Social democracy
United Bloc of Labour [bg] (OBT) Krastyo Petkov Social democracy
Labourism
Patriotism 2000 (R2000) Julian Ivanov

BSP – United Left

[edit]

In the run up to the October 2024 election, BSDE joined the BSP alliance.

Election results

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National Assembly

[edit]
Election Votes % Seats +/– Government
1997 234,058 5.50 (#4)
14 / 240
New Opposition
2001 44,637 0.98 (#8)
0 / 240
Decrease 14 Extra-parliamentary
2005[a] 47,410 1.13 (#9)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra parliamentary
2009 Did not contest
2013 Did not contest
2014 9,431 0.29 (#16)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra parliamentary
2017[b] 5,945 0.17 (#15)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra parliamentary
Apr 2021[c] 3,485 0.11 (#20)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
Jul 2021[d] 3,445 0.12 (#18)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
Nov 2021 13,710 0.52 (#10)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
2022 5,343 0.21 (#17)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
2023 2,633 0.10 (#17)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
Jun 2024[e] 2,206 0.10 (#26)
0 / 240
Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
Oct 2024[f] 184,403 7.32 (#5)
0 / 240
[g]
Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
  1. ^ Run as part of the Rose Coalition (with NDPS and OBT).
  2. ^ Run as part of the Coalition of the Dissatisfied (with KSS).
  3. ^ Run as part of the Together for Change coalition (with ESI and R2000).
  4. ^ Run again as Together for Change.
  5. ^ Run as part of the Rose Coalition (with OBT and R2000).
  6. ^ Run in the BSP – United Left alliance.
  7. ^ BSDE won 0 seats, but the coalition won 20

European Parliament

[edit]
Election List leader Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2009 Unclear 14,132 0.55 (#11)
0 / 18
New
2014 Did not contest
0 / 18
Steady 0
2019 Did not contest
0 / 18
Steady 0
2024[a] Aleksandr Tomov 2,294 0.11 (#25)
0 / 18
Steady 0
  1. ^ Run as part of the Rose Coalition (with OBT and R2000).

References

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  1. ^ a b Ian Jeffries (2002). Eastern Europe at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century: A Guide to the Economies in Transition. Routledge. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-134-56151-3.
  2. ^ Richard E. Matland; Kathleen A. Montgomery (2003). Women ́s Access to Political Power in Post-communist Europe. Oxford University Press. p. 310. ISBN 978-0-19-924686-1. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  3. ^ Paul Lewis (2002). Political Parties in Post-Communist Eastern Europe. Routledge. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-134-63437-8.
  4. ^ Janusz Bugajski (2002). Political Parties of Eastern Europe: A Guide to Politics in the Post-Communist Era. M.E. Sharpe. p. 790. ISBN 978-1-56324-676-0. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  5. ^ a b c Charles Vance; Yongsun Paik (2006). Managing a Global Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities in International Human Resource Management. M.E. Sharpe. pp. 790–791. ISBN 978-0-7656-2016-3.
  6. ^ Frederick B. Chary (2011). The History of Bulgaria. ABC-CLIO. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-313-38446-2. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Socialist International – Progressive Politics For A Fairer World". www.socialistinternational.org.
  8. ^ Elena A. Iankova (2009). Business, Government, and EU Accession: Strategic Partnership and Conflict. Lexington Books. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7391-3057-5.
  9. ^ Peter Barker (1998). The Party of Democratic Socialism in Germany: Modern Post-communism Or Nostalgic Populism?. Rodopi. p. 173. ISBN 90-420-0350-2.
  10. ^ "Omda.bg - Българска Евролевица /БЕЛ/". OMDA. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  11. ^ "Българската социалдемократическа партия БСДП". www.bsdp.bg. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  12. ^ "БСД И НДПС учредиха ''Коалиция на розата'' | Dnes.bg". m.dnes.bg. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  13. ^ ""Коалиция на недоволните" на Сашо Томов влиза в предизборната битка". Bgonair (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  14. ^ "Движение "Заедно за промяна" се регистрира в ЦИК за участие в изборите". bnr.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  15. ^ "Коалиция „Коалиция на розата"". Vesti.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-07-24.