Alliance for Rights and Freedoms Party Founded, Ahmed Dogan Elected "Honorary Chairman with Operational Functions"

Valentin Evstatiev, Nikoleta Vasileva

Ahmed Dogan is elected Honorary Chairman, with Operational Functions, of the new party, Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, during its constituent meeting, Sofia, November 15, 2025 (BTA Photo/Blagoy Kirilov)

Sofia,

15.11.2025 19:04

(BTA)

A new party, Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF), was founded on Saturday, with Ahmed Dogan as its Honorary Chairman with Operational Functions. Dogan's position is established in the party statute, which was adopted at the constituent meeting.

Ahmed Dogan is the founder of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), created in 1990. In 2024 the MRF split into two factions. One of them remained loyal to Dogan, who in recent years had held the post of honorary chairman of the MRF, and the other was headed by Delyan Peevski. Today Peevski's faction is called Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning, which is also the name of their parliamentary group. The Dogan supporters have a parliamentary group called Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, and on Saturday this name was also given to the newly founded party.

Participants in Saturday's event elected the top ARF leadership, which, in addition to Dogan, includes four co-chairs: Taner Ali, Dimitar Nikolov, Sevim Ali and Khayri Sadakov, while Nikolay Tsonev will serve as deputy chair. The party will have a 17-member Central Operational Bureau, with each member covering a different policy area or areas such as communications, election technology, local government, youth policies and healthcare.

A declaration was read to the media, in which the founders state that the party is being created in response to the need to restore normality in political life and to oppose a model based on fear, pressure and dependencies. The document emphasizes that the ARF is founded on liberal values and on the protection of human rights and freedoms. The founders state their intention to work for strengthening equality, protecting human dignity and ensuring peace and stability in the country, the region and Europe.

The declaration also notes that the founders of the ARF consider as their main priority the restoration of trust between citizens and institutions, the establishment of transparent governance mechanisms and the guarantee of equal access to public resources. The party will work to strengthen democratic procedures, to uphold the rule of law and to halt practices that undermine statehood, demotivate active citizens and weaken local communities. The founders state readiness to pursue a consistent policy aimed at economic development, social justice and genuine participation of citizens in decision-making processes.

The leadership said that until the first national conference is held, the focus of its activity will be the creation and strengthening of local structures, which were defined as a priority policy of the new party.

The founders noted that all documents for the party's registration will be submitted to the court within the legal deadlines. The first national conference of the ARF is expected to be held by September 2026 at the latest, after the party has been registered.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us," Ahmed Dogan said during the meeting. The newly elected Honorary Chairman of the ARF, who will also perform operational functions, called on the participants to make efforts to restore and strengthen the local structures which, in his words, have been forgotten. His statement was published on the party's Facebook page after the meeting.

"Only the municipal and regional structures run the party. The local ones must restore their form, content and responsibility," Dogan said, adding that the organization faces very serious work.

He stressed that the start of the project is good and noted that the leadership team will be expanded over time. "Anyone who has the will and desire to fight has this opportunity," the Honorary Chairman said.

Dogan described the tasks before the party as a great test, but expressed confidence in the potential of the participants. "My appeal to you is to remain as energized as you are today. If I had had any doubts about whether to return to left-wing politics or not, when I saw you I completely enjoyed it," he said.

In conclusion, Dogan thanked those present for their courage in taking part in the event. "With such a team I would set off even to the other side of the world," he said. Dogan apologized to those present, saying that he had problems with his voice, and promised: "Next time we will talk more".

/VE/