Bulgaria Faces Seventh Election in Three Years as ITN Fails to Form Government

Bulgaria's ITN party returned the mandate to form a government after failing to establish a stable coalition. This development prompts the nation to head towards its seventh legislative election in three years. The repeated elections follow a history of governmental instability exacerbated by anti-graft protests and persistent party rivalries.

Bulgaria's political instability persists as the small There Is Such a People (ITN) party returned its mandate to form a government to President Rumen Radev. After failing to build a stable coalition, this development sets the stage for the country's seventh legislative election in three years.

ITN came sixth in the recent inconclusive election with only 16 seats out of 240 in parliament. The mandate was offered to ITN on July 29 after the center-right GERB and the reformist We Continue the Change (PP) coalition also failed to establish a government.

President Radev now faces the task of appointing a caretaker prime minister and calling yet another snap vote. This cycle of inconclusive elections leads to widespread frustration and unlocks several destructive processes, complicating Bulgaria's path to stability and essential economic reforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)