site.btaMay 16, 1971: Referendum on Adopting New Constitution of People's Republic of Bulgaria Held

The 1971 Bulgarian Constitution was adopted following a national referendum held on May 16, 1971.

The purpose of the referendum was to approve the new Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, drafted under the direction and guidance of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) and its Secretary General, Todor Zhivkov.

Voter turnout was officially reported at 99.7% and the results showed that 99.66% (6,135,218) voted in favour and 15,477 voted against. The figures were typical for many Eastern Bloc countries at the time, demonstrating unanimous popular support.

The successful referendum led to the formal adoption of the 1971 Constitution on May 18, 1971, two days later.

The new Constitution strengthened the power of the Communist Party, reinforced the ideological commitment to socialism and communism, and institutionalized the role of the BCP as the central force in society.

Article 1 of the 1971 Constitution of the People's Republic of Bulgaria was one of its most significant and ideologically defining provisions. It guaranteed a leading role for the Communist Party in all aspects:

“Article 1: The People's Republic of Bulgaria is a socialist state of the working people from town and countryside, led by the working class. The leading force in society and the state is the Bulgarian Communist Party.”

This was the second constitution of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria. The 1947 Dimitrov Constitution had already set Bulgaria on a socialist path after World War II.

The 1971 Zhivkov Constitution was in force until July 12, 1991, when it was replaced by the current post-communist Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, which established a multi-party democratic system and market economy following the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989.