GERB
GERB (Bulgarian: ГЕРБ) is a conservative,[2] populist[3][4] Bulgarian political party established on 13 March 2006. The initials of the party герб/gerb also translate as "coat of arms" in Bulgarian. It is Bulgaria's second-largest party by membership.[1]
GERB ГЕРБ | |
---|---|
Leader | Boyko Borisov |
Chairman | Boyko Borisov |
Founded | 3 December 2006 |
Split from | National Movement for Stability and Progress |
Headquarters | Sofia |
Membership (2016) | |
Ideology | Conservatism[2] Populism[3][4][5][6] Pro-Europeanism[7] |
Political position | Centre-right[4][8][9] |
European affiliation | European People's Party |
International affiliation | International Democrat Union Centrist Democrat International |
European Parliament group | European People's Party |
Colours | Blue, grey |
National Assembly | 95 / 240 |
European Parliament | 6 / 17 |
Website | |
www | |
History
GERB is headed by Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov, the former mayor of Sofia, former member of the National Movement Simeon II and former personal guard of Todor Zhivkov in the 1990s. The establishment of the party followed the creation of a non-profit organization with the acronym (in Bulgarian) GERB — Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, earlier the same year.
In early January 2007,[10] and early February 2007,[11] the party came second in public polls on party support with around 14%, trailing the Bulgarian Socialist Party which had around 25%. Its stated priorities are fighting crime and corruption, preserving family as the cornerstone of society and achieving energy independence.
GERB won the 2009 European Parliament election in Bulgaria with 24.36% of the vote. The party elected five MEPs and joined the European People's Party-European Democrats Group in the European Parliament (in the EPP section). On June 6, 2007 GERB applied formally to join as a member-party the European People's Party[12] and joined EPP on February 7, 2008.[13]
GERB won the 2009 parliamentary elections, held a month after the European ballot, winning 39.7% of the popular vote and 117 seats (out of 240). After the elections, a new government was formed, led by Borisov, primarily with GERB members and with 5 independent ministers around Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Djankov. The reformist wing was responsible for some of the most significant legislative victories, including a Constitutional reform to ban tax increases. On 20 February 2013, the government resigned after nationwide protests demanding it to step down.[14]
GERB's candidates for the 2011 presidential election, Rosen Plevneliev and Margarita Popova (presidential nominee and running mate, respectively), won the elections on the second ballot with 52.6% of the popular vote.
GERB won the 2013 parliamentary elections with 97 seats, receiving 30.5% of the popular vote. This made GERB the first governing party to be re-elected in the history of the post-communist Bulgaria. However, with lack of support from the other parties and designated to form a new government, Borisov refused the offer and so GERB went in the opposition. However, due to the collapse of the coalition government in 2014, GERB backed into power after the snap elections.
List of chairmen
№ | Name |
Portrait | Term of office | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Boyko Borisov
(1959-) |
3 December 2006 | Incumbent |
Elections
Statistics
Election | Seats won | Votes | % | Rank | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 117 / 240 |
1,678,583 | 39.7% | 1st | GERB Minority government |
2013 | 97 / 240 |
1,081,605 | 30.5% | 1st | BSP-DPS |
2014 | 84 / 240 |
1,072,491 | 32.7% | 1st | GERB-RB |
2017 | 95 / 240 |
1,147,283 | 33.5% | 1st | GERB-UP |
Election year | Candidate | First round | Second round | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Rank | Votes | % | Rank | ||
2011 | Rosen Plevneliev | 1,349,380 | 40.1% | 1st | 1,698,136 | 52.6% | 1st |
2016 | Tsetska Tsacheva | 840,635 | 22.0% | 2nd | 1,256,485 | 36.2% | 2nd |
Election | Seats won | Votes | % | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | 5 / 18 |
420,001 | 21.68% | 1st |
2009 | 5 / 18 |
627,693 | 24.36% | 1st |
2014 | 6 / 17 |
680,838 | 30.40% | 1st |
2019 | 5 / 17 |
607,194 | 31.07% | 1st |
References
- "Само 344 000 членове стоят зад партиите в парламента" [Parties in Parliament only have 344,000 members]. 24 Chasa. February 15, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Bulgaria". Parties and Elections in Europe.
- Barzachka, Nina (April 25, 2017). "Bulgaria's government will include far-right nationalist parties for the first time". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- Hope, Kerin; Troev, Theodor (June 10, 2009). "Populist promises to clean up Bulgaria". Financial Times. Retrieved December 19, 2011.(registration required)
- Novaković, Igor (2010). ""European" and "Extreme" Populists in the Same Row – the New Government of the Republic of Bulgaria" (PDF). Western Balkans Security Observer. ISAC Fund (17): 63–73. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
- Cristova, Christiana (2010). "Populism: the Bulgarian case" (PDF). Sociedade e Cultura. Goiânia. 13 (2): 221–232. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
- Routledge Handbook of European Elections edited by Donatella M. Viola, page 639
- Smilov, Daniel; Jileva, Elena (2009), "The politics of Bulgarian citizenship: National identity, democracy and other uses", Citizenship Policies in the New Europe, Amsterdam University Press, p. 229
- Jansen, Thomas; Van Hecke, Steven (2012), At Europe's Service: The Origins and Evolution of the European People's Party, Springer, p. 78
- "Socialists Lead GERB in Bulgarian Politics: Angus Reid Global Monitor". Angus Reid Public Opinion. Vision Critical. Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
- "Socialists Gain, GERB Second in Bulgaria: Angus Reid Global Monitor". Angus Reid Public Opinion. Vision Critical. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
- "Лидерът на ПП ГЕРБ е на двудневно посещение в Брюксел". ГЕРБ (in Bulgarian). June 6, 2007. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
- "Bulgaria's GERB joins European People's Party". SEtimes.com. February 8, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
- New York Times, The. "After Bulgarian Protests, Prime Minister Resigns". Retrieved February 20, 2013.
External links
- Official website (in Bulgarian)
- Official website (in English)
- GERB's page on the European People's Party website