https://www.dw.com/en/bulgaria-government-collapses-after-no-confidence-vote/a-62224345
Members of the Bulgarian parliament on Wednesday voted for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.
The move potentially sets the stage for a fresh round of elections. However, Petkov's centrist PP party does have a second chance to propose a government to lawmakers.
The vote to topple the goverment, which only came to power 6 months ago, was a narrow one with 123 delegates voting in favor and 116 against.
Petkov had after a decade of rule by the conservative Boyko Borissov.
However, the coalition started to look shaky soon after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which accentuated divisions with the government. While Petkov has taken a strong pro-European and pro-NATO position since the war began, Bulgaria has strong historical ties with Moscow. Petkov sacked his defense minister shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine for refusing to call it a "war."
Earlier this month, the anti-establishment ITN party led by entertainer Slavi Trifonov withdrew its support from the coalition.
Borisov's conservative GERB party quickly filed a no-confidence motion that cited "the failure of the government's economic and financial policy" amid soaring inflation.
Members of the Bulgarian parliament on Wednesday voted for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.
The move potentially sets the stage for a fresh round of elections. However, Petkov's centrist PP party does have a second chance to propose a government to lawmakers.
The vote to topple the goverment, which only came to power 6 months ago, was a narrow one with 123 delegates voting in favor and 116 against.
Why was there a no-confidence vote?
The vote comes after the ruling coalition lost its majority amid disputes over budget spending and Sofia's blocking of North Macedonia's EU accession.Petkov had after a decade of rule by the conservative Boyko Borissov.
However, the coalition started to look shaky soon after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which accentuated divisions with the government. While Petkov has taken a strong pro-European and pro-NATO position since the war began, Bulgaria has strong historical ties with Moscow. Petkov sacked his defense minister shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine for refusing to call it a "war."
Earlier this month, the anti-establishment ITN party led by entertainer Slavi Trifonov withdrew its support from the coalition.
Borisov's conservative GERB party quickly filed a no-confidence motion that cited "the failure of the government's economic and financial policy" amid soaring inflation.
