Bulgaria's Parliament failed to elect a Speaker yet again

On December 4, on the 9th day of the first sitting of 51st Parlaiment, the MPs failed to elect a Speaker.

The sitting will continue tomorrow, December 5, at 11.00.

In the voting procedure today, Silvi Kirilov of There Is Such a People (TISP) and Nataliya Kiselova of BSP-United Left went to a second round of voting.

The run-off between Nataliya Kiselova and Silvi Kirilov:

Photo by Desislava Kulelieva

• Nataliya Kiselova received 88 in favour, 61 against, 89 abstentions. She received support from GERB - UDF and BSP - United Left.

photo by Desislava Kulelieva

• Silvi Kirilov received 99 votes "in favour", 119 "against", 20 abstained. His candidacy was re-voted and the results showed the following:

"in favour" - 100

against - 119

abstentions - 19

The nomination of Silvi Kirilov, was supported by GERB-UDF with 1 vote, We Continue the Change supported him with 17 votes. The strongest support came from Vazrazhdane (Revival) with 34 votes in favour. He was also backed by the ARF- 19, There is Such a People - 18 and Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) - 11.

photo by Desislava Kulelieva

There were four candidates at the first round: Atanas Atanassov (We Continue the Change -Democratic Bulgaria), Nataliya Kiselova (Bulgarian Socialist Party – United Left), Petar Petrov (Vazrazhdane) and Silvi Kirilov (There is Such a People), who presided over the sitting as the Parliament’s oldest MP.

The debates lasted for over 3 and a half hours amid mutual attacks and skirmishes between the political parties.

Photo by Desislava Kulelieva

Eighth attempt: No breakthrough in the deadlock over the election of Speaker of 51st Parliament