Bulgaria: DPS Factions Clash Over Election Registration, CEC Delays Process

The registration of parties for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, on October 27, was delayed for two and a half hours as the Central Election Commission (CEC) held an extraordinary meeting. The delay stemmed from a dispute between two factions within the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) — one aligned with Ahmed Dogan and the other with Delyan Peevski — over who should register first.

The internal conflict within the DPS regarding who would be the first to submit their registration lasted throughout the night. Shortly after midnight, Delyan Peevski's faction announced that they had submitted an electronically signed application for the upcoming elections at 00:05 on September 2, 2024. Peevski emphasized the faction’s modern approach and commitment to the people, declaring "DPS-New Beginning is already a fact."

Valentin Tonchev from the DPS criticized Peevski's move, accusing him of misinterpreting CEC regulations and spreading misinformation. Meanwhile, deputies from both factions of the DPS entered the CEC building using their MP cards before the official registration time of 9:30 a.m., further escalating the tension.

Representatives from both sides claimed they were the rightful first registrants. Taner Kabilov from the "New Beginning" faction insisted that Peevski was the legitimate chairman, while Jevdet Chakarov, leader of the opposing faction, asserted their priority in registration, emphasizing their commitment to governing Bulgaria without dependencies.

At 9:30 a.m., the doors of the CEC remained closed, and the media, kept outside, were left to rely on video clips to understand the situation. An hour later, the CEC convened an extraordinary meeting to address the ongoing dispute.