Alliance for Rights and Freedoms

The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (Bulgarian: Алианс за права и свободи, АПС, romanizedAlians za prava i svobodi, APS; Turkish: Hak ve Özgürlükler İttifakı[1][2]), often known as DPS–Dogan, is a Bulgarian political electoral coalition. It was formed prior to the October 2024 Bulgarian parliamentary election.

Alliance for Rights and Freedoms
Алианс за права и свободи
AbbreviationAPS
ChairpersonDzhevdet Chakarov
Honorary ChairmanAhmed Dogan
Founded2 September 2024 (2024-09-02)
Registered11 September 2024 (2024-09-11)
Split fromMovement for Rights and Freedoms
Ideology
Colors  Blue (official)
  Purple (customary)
National Assembly
25 / 240
Website
www.dps.bg

The coalition claims to represent the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), following a leadership dispute. This claim is disputed by DPS – A New Beginning, another coalition which registered on the same day as DPS–Dogan.[3][4] DPS–Dogan is chaired by Dzhevdet Chakarov, but its common name comes from its links to the founder and key figure in the original DPS, Ahmed Dogan.[5][6][7]

Background

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The electoral coalition was formed in response to a legal dispute between the joint chairmen of the original DPS, Chakarov (who is allied with Dogan) and Delyan Peevski. On 27 August 2024, Peevski was removed as chairman alongside multiple allies. This move has been linked to Dogan.[8] Peevski challenged the decision and argued this was unconstitutional.[9] Because of this, there was no clear leader of the original DPS. With the deadline to register for the October elections approaching, both the Dogan and Peevski wings made preparations to run separate coalitions.[10]

When registration opened on 2 September, both the Dogan and Peevski coalitions were registered. Both argued they were the first,[11] with Peevski submitting an unprecedented electronic application rather than one in person.

After DPS–Peevski was recognized to be the legitimate DPS by the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria, DPS~Dogan changed their name and registered without claiming DPS to be a member of the alliance.[12]

Composition

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The composition of DPS–Dogan is as follows, though the status of whether the official DPS party runs in DPS–Dogan or DPS–Peevski is yet to be determined by the Bulgarian Electoral Commission.[6][13] Despite the original DPS being listed as part of both electoral coalitions, the Commission decided on 4 September that both had to prove the original party was not part of either group,[14] something neither wing agreed to do by the 7 September deadline.[15] On 11 September, the courts ruled that Peevski's electronic application was valid and he was able to run with the original DPS. As such, the Agrarian People's Union registered the new name for the alliance.[16]

Party Leader Ideology Notes
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) dissidents N/A Liberalism
Turkish minority interests
Just Bulgaria United Patriots [bg] (SBOR) Dimitar Iliev Formerly part of the Together [bg] electoral coalition in 2023.
Agrarian People's Union Roumen Yonchev Agrarianism Formerly part of various election coalitions, most recently Blue Bulgaria for the June 2024 elections.

References

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  1. ^ "Ahmet Doğan Taraftarları MSK'da Hak ve Özgürlükler İttifakı Koalisyonunu Kaydetti". Kırcaali Haber (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  2. ^ "Hak ve Özgürlükler İttifakı /Alians/ koalisyonu seçimlere kayıt başvurusu sundu". bnr.bg (in Turkish). 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  3. ^ "ЦИК прие заявленията на ДПС-Пеевски и ДПС-Доган едновременно". Свободна Европа (in Bulgarian). 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  4. ^ "ДПС-Доган и ДПС-Пеевски ще участват на изборите в две коалиции". ДПС-Доган и ДПС-Пеевски ще участват на изборите в две коалиции - Новини СЕГА (in Bulgarian). 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  5. ^ "Доган и Пеевски: Създателят се отрича от творението си – DW – 2.09.2024". dw.com (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  6. ^ a b "Безпрецедентно: ЦИК прие едновременно документите на двете ДПС-та". Mediapool.bg (in Bulgarian). 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  7. ^ "Чакъров: Коалицията ни е ДПС – „Демокрация, права и свободи"". nova.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  8. ^ "ДПС на Ахмед Доган изключи Делян Пеевски и хората му". www.24chasa.bg. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  9. ^ "Официалният сайт на ДПС отново е под контрола на Делян Пеевски". bTV Новините (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  10. ^ България, Булевард (2024-08-29). "Ще има ли ДПС-Доган и ДПС-Пеевски в бюлетината на изборите на 27 октомври? - Булевард България". boulevardbulgaria.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  11. ^ "Делян Пеевски: ДПС-Ново начало вече е факт". bTV Новините (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  12. ^ ""Алианс за права и свободи": Румен Йончев от името на лоялните на Доган регистрира коалиция без ДПС". epicenter.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  13. ^ "Мрежата на ДПС. Какви връзки разкриват партиите, с които се коалираха Доган и Пеевски". Свободна Европа (in Bulgarian). 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  14. ^ "ЦИК поиска коалициите на Пеевски и Чакъров да докажат, че ДПС не е част от тях". Mediapool.bg (in Bulgarian). 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  15. ^ "Спорът в ДПС отива в съда. И двете крила не се съобразиха с указанието на ЦИК". Свободна Европа (in Bulgarian). 2024-09-07. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  16. ^ "Пеевски: Има едно ДПС, Ахмед Доган е от земеделците (обновена)". Mediapool.bg (in Bulgarian). 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2024-09-12.