On Wednesday (November 21) the Bulgarian MPs voted to relieve Valeri Simeonov as Deputy Premier for Economic and Demographic Policy. Mariana Nikolova was appointed the new Deputy Premier Responsible for Economic and Demographic Policy. However, Ataka party which is part of the United Patriots coalition together with VMRO and the National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB) did not participate at the voting procedure. The draft resolution for cabinet reshuffles was not presented by this country’s Premier Boyko Borissov who was also absent from the debates. Perhaps, Premier Borissov undertook these steps, in order to show that the resignation of former Deputy Premier Simeonov is a problem of the small coalition (The United Patriots). The draft resolution for cabinet reshuffles was presented to the Bulgarian MPs by Bulgaria’s Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and leader of VMRO party Krasimir Karakachanov. Several days ago Volen Siderov called on Krasimir Karakachanov to hand in his resignation as well so “they can wipe the slate clean”. The two-day tense debates within the ruling coalition resulted in a cabinet reshuffle only. NFSB is still represented at the Bulgarian government by the newly appointed Deputy Premier for Economic and Demographic Policy Mariana Nikolova and the coalition agreement between GERB and the United Patriots remains.

However, things will be different in the small coalition (the United Patriots) after Valeri Simeonov’s resignation. Simeonov will return to the National Assembly and become and MP. Ataka party remains with 7 MPs (previously 8). VMRO will be represented by 11 MPs and NFSB by 9 MPs. In other words, the influence of Ataka party in the decision-making process is reduced. This is perhaps extremely painful for this political party and its leader Volen Siderov who, according to some speculations wants to top the United Patriots list at the forthcoming elections for European Parliament, but the other partners in the small coalition were of a different opinion.

The members of the United Patriots also admitted that relations within the coalition have become critical. Political analysts forecast that tension between the coalition partners will remain in the coming weeks. If Ataka party withdraws support for the current government GERB (95MPs), VMRO (11 MPs) and NFSB (9MPs) will have a total of 115 members of Parliament which is not enough to secure a majority of 121 MPs at the National Assembly. However, the 12 MPs from Volya party and the 2 independent MPs usually support the ruling coalition at the voting. If they continue to do so, the ruling coalition will have enough Parliamentary support. However, the existence of the United Patriots coalition is endangered. In October Ataka decided to apply for membership at the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists in Europe which hopes that after the EU elections in 2019 it govern the EU together with the European Peoples’ Party. One week ago at a forum of European nationalistic and populist formations from Southeast Europe in Sofia the leader of the French far-right parties and President of the National Rally political party Marine Le Pen said that the Europe of Nations and Freedom movement regards Volya party as a partner, rather than the formations in the United patriots coalition (Ataka, VMRO and NFSB). The restructuring of the nationalistic space will continue until the start of the EU elections in May next year.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov