Bulgaria’s Overseas Voting: Middle East Likely Excluded in April's Snap Election

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has reported that, as of March 15, approximately 20,800 Bulgarians living abroad had submitted applications to vote in the upcoming elections. This number is below the total recorded for the October 2024 elections, when just over 30,000 applications were submitted. Notably, applications from the United Kingdom have already surpassed 4,000, roughly double the figure from the previous elections, while submissions from the United States have also increased.

Türkiye remains the country with the largest number of voter applications, and the CEC plans to open multiple polling stations in embassies where feasible to ensure that citizens abroad can exercise their voting rights. However, the chair of the CEC, Kamelia Neykova, noted that there will likely be no polling stations in the Middle East due to the low number of applications from that region.

Neykova added that once the CEC finalizes its decision regarding the locations of polling stations abroad, affected voters will be notified, with notifications expected to be sent around March 28. Authorities emphasized that all possible measures will be taken to facilitate voting for Bulgarians living overseas.