site.btaDemocracy, Rights and Freedoms MPs Meet with Regional Representatives to Discuss Party's Future after Leader's Resignation

The leadership of the Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF) parliamentary group is meeting Friday with regional representatives to discuss the party’s future following the resignation of Dzhevdet Chakarov as chair.

In July 2024, the once solid Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) split into two factions: Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF), loyal to MRF honorary chairman Ahmed Dogan and chaired by Chakarov, and MRF - New Beginning, headed by Dogan's one-time protege Delyan Peevski. Both factions claim they are the genuine party.
 
On May 27, Chakarov surprisingly resigned as MRF Chair and DRF floor leader. MRF - New Beginning announced that Peevski and Chakarov “have decided to close the page of division and confrontation,” so that “the MRF can emerge united and stronger than ever”.

The Dogan faction has taken strong exception to Chakarov's step and denied that healing the rift is possible.

On May 29, Chakarov submitted a motion to the Supreme Court of Cassation, stating that he was abandoning in toto a cassation appeal against a Sofia City Court's denial of a request to register an expulsion of Peevski and its supporters from the MRF on August 27, 2024. Granting Chakarov's request, the Supreme Court dismissed the case, leaving Peevski as the only legitimate leader of the party.