site.btaBulgaria Votes to Elect New Parliament

Bulgarians at home and abroad Sunday are voting to elect a new Parliament in what is the country's seventh snap vote since 2021.

It is also the country’s 18th parliamentary elections since the start of democratic changes in 1989.

Elections are held under the Election Code adopted in 2014 and last amended in February 2026.

According to preliminary data, more than 6.5 million citizens are eligible to vote, although the final number will be confirmed after polling day.

Polling stations open at 7:00 a.m. and are scheduled to close at 8:00 p.m., with voting extended until 9:00 p.m. where queues remain.

Voting is taking place in 11,995 sections across Bulgaria, including mobile ballot boxes for people with disabilities, and in 493 sections in 55 countries abroad.

A total of 4,786 candidates are contesting the 240 seats in the 52nd National Assembly, representing 14 parties, 10 coalitions and one independent candidate.

Following the December 2023 constitutional amendments, individuals with dual citizenship are now eligible for MPs, the main requirement being that they have resided in Bulgaria for the 18 months preceding the election. No candidates with dual citizenship were registered in the two national elections held in June and October 2024. The current campaign is the first election in which individuals with dual citizenship are running since the legal provision was introduced. A total of 19 candidates have declared dual citizenship, according to the Central Election Commission.

To enter Parliament, parties and coalitions must win at least 4% of the valid vote.

Members of Parliament are elected under a proportional representation system in 31 multi-member constituencies. 

Machine voting is being used in the majority of polling stations, while paper ballots are available in smaller sections and as a backup in case of technical issues.

The elections are administered by the Central Election Commission, with domestic and international observers monitoring the process. Five polling agencies are conducting exit polls, with first projections expected after the end of voting later on Sunday.