'Alliance for Rights and Freedoms' to Decide How to Proceed with Third Mandate to Form a Government

The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) will decide at a party meeting how it will proceed with the third mandate to form a government. This was announced by the chairman of ARF’s parliamentary group, Hayri Sadakov, on January 15.

He thanked the President for the decision to hand over the third exploratory mandate to ARF, describing it as a positive assessment of the party’s role and conduct in Parliament.

“We accept the handing over of the third mandate to our parliamentary group as a sensitive and meaningful evaluation of our consistent efforts within the 51st National Assembly to uphold the principles of democracy, statehood, institutional unity and the strength of the state. We see that this has been recognised, for which I am grateful,” Sadakov said.

He added that, given the specific nature of the third mandate, a meeting of the parliamentary group and the party’s structures will be held, at which the situation will be discussed and a decision taken on the appropriate course of action.

“Taking into account the particular character of the third mandate, a meeting of the parliamentary group and our party structures is forthcoming, where we will discuss matters and arrive at the right decision on what lies ahead,” he said.

Earlier today, President Rumen Radev announced that he would formally hand the third mandate to APS tomorrow.

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A split within the political party 'Movement for Rights and Freedoms' (MRF) in 2024 resulted in the formation of two factions: 'MRF - New Beginning' and the 'Alliance for Rights and Freedoms' (ARF).

The ARF remained loyal to Ahmed Dogan, until then honorary chairman of the MRF, who had founded the party in 1990, in the first months of post-communist Bulgaria. The other faction is called Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning and is headed by Delyan Peevski. It is also the name of their parliamentary group. ARF has been the name of the parliamentary group of Dogan's supporters.

On November 15, 2025, a new party, Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF), was founded, with Ahmed Dogan as its Honorary Chairman with Operational Functionsthis. The ARF name was also given to the newly founded party.

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