Bulgaria — 4 April parliamentary elections and 11 July early parliamentary elections 2021: ODIHR observation final reports
Following this year’s elections in Bulgaria, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published reports on the 4 April parliamentary elections and 11 July early parliamentary elections.
In the April parliamentary elections fundamental freedoms were respected. The elections were competitive, but massive use of state resources gave the ruling party a significant advantage. Technical aspects of the elections were managed efficiently, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the legal framework provides for an adequate conduct of democratic elections, longstanding concerns over key aspects of the process remain to be addressed. Media lacked analytical reporting and offered limited editorial and news coverage of the campaign, impacting the ability of voters to make an informed choice.
The July early parliamentary elections were marked by mutual accusations of corruption between the former ruling party and the provisional government and were underpinned by law-enforcement’s actions to curb vote-buying. The elections were competitive and well-run. The overall legal framework was adequate, but it was substantially revised shortly before elections, making preparations for the election more difficult and affecting legal certainty. The transparency and accountability of campaign finance were reduced by deficiencies in oversight and limited reporting requirements. Media continued to offer scant editorial and news coverage, impacting the ability of voters to make an informed choice.
Key recommendations from both missions include:
- Revising the legal framework in a public procedure, following a broad and timely consultation, in order to ensure a harmonized, coherent and stable electoral framework;
- Removing undue restrictions on Bulgarian citizens with dual citizenship to stand for office;
- Ensuring the effectiveness of campaign finance oversight by disclosing the sources of donations to the party funds as well as campaign expenditures prior to election day;
- Strengthening impartiality of the public broadcasters by providing funding, based on a clear and objective criteria;
- Reviewing the legal framework for electoral dispute resolution to ensure effective remedy for all;
- Providing comprehensive training for all precinct election commission members to ensure a consistent application of election procedures.
ODIHR deployed a Limited Election Observation Mission on 2 March 2021 to observe the parliamentary elections, and a mission of the same format was deployed on 9 June 2021 to follow the conduct of the early parliamentary elections. All 57 participating States across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.