site.btaPresident to Hand Government-forming Mandate to CC-DB

The President will hand over a government-forming mandate to the prime minister designate of this National Assembly's second-largest parliamentary group, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the head of State's press centre said. The previous mandate - to GERB-UDF - was returned unfulfilled on January 12.

Under the Bulgarian Constitution, when a government resigns, it continues to perform its functions until a new regular cabinet is elected or a caretaker one appointed. Should the first two attempts to form a regular government fail, a third mandate goes to a parliamentary group selected by the President. Should all three mandates be unsuccessful, the head of State must appoint a caretaker cabinet and schedule early parliamentary elections within two months. The National Assembly continues to function until a new legislature is elected and sworn in.

The pool of potential caretaker prime ministers from which the President may choose is limited to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the President or a Vice-President of the National Audit Office, and the National Ombudsman or a Deputy Ombudsman.