In the midst of severe divisions over the conflict in Ukraine, Bulgarians cast ballots on Sunday in their fifth general election in two years, a record in the European Union.
The political crisis that has gripped Bulgaria since 2020—the worst instability since the collapse of Communism—has been exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
The 6.5 million-strong, impoverished Balkan country is a NATO and EU member. However, it has ties to Russia both traditionally and culturally.
Three years ago, the nation saw sizable anti-corruption protests, but instead of bringing about a purge of graft from public life, the protests led to a series of elections.
Boyko Borisov, a conservative prime minister whose ten years in office were marred by graft accusations, was ousted from office in 2021.
But since then, the nation’s political groups have found it difficult to put together durable coalitions, which has resulted in a severely divided parliament and a string of interim administrations.
“What if the results are the same as in previous legislative elections?” asked Silvia Radoeva, a 42-year-old care worker.
“It’s high time that politicians united to deal with everyday problems,” Radoeva told AFP, citing “crazy prices, poverty and deplorable medical care”.
