Bulgaria: WCC-DB to Immediately Return Mandate and Push for New Elections

The coalition We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB) will return the exploratory mandate to form a government immediately after it is handed over by President Rumen Radev. This was announced in Stara Zagora by Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of Yes, Bulgaria, one of the parties within the coalition.

Mirchev said WCC-DB sees new parliamentary elections as unavoidable and insists they must be conducted under conditions that guarantee full transparency. According to him, the next vote should be carried out with 100% machine voting, which he described as the most reliable way to ensure fair elections. He argued that machine voting sharply limits opportunities for manipulation, counting mistakes and controlled voting, helping to rebuild public confidence in the electoral process. Mirchev noted that these demands were central to past civic protests calling for honest elections and stronger rule of law.

The coalition plans to participate in the upcoming elections in the same configuration, together with We Continue the Change and Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria. WCC-DB considers the end of March to be the most suitable timeframe for holding the vote.

“The president will hand over the mandate when he chooses. Our response will be immediate – we will return it,” Mirchev said. “What the country needs are elections: fair elections, a new prosecutor general, and voting that is fully automated, without fraud, without vote-buying schemes, without luxury cars roaming Roma neighborhoods, and without ballot substitutions.”

Bozhidar Bozhanov from WCC-DB also commented on the possible election date, stressing that the final decision rests with the president. He added that elections are traditionally avoided during the harsh winter months and that late March represents a reasonable and practical option for organizing the vote.

Further reading: Bulgaria's Borissov: GERB Will Return the Government Mandate, Political Chaos Set to Deepen