Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance

Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance (DOST; Bulgarian: Демократи за отговорност, свобода и толерантност, romanizedDemokrati otgovornost, svoboda i tolerantnost, Turkish: Sorumluluk, Özgürlük ve Hoşgörü için Demokratlar) is a liberal and centrist political party in Bulgaria, mainly representing the Turkish minority. The party is led by Lyutvi Mestan.

Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance
Демократи за отговорност, свобода и толерантност
AbbreviationDOST
LeaderTaner Alimolla [bg]
FounderLyutvi Mestan
Founded10 April 2016 (2016-04-10)
Split fromMovement for Rights and Freedoms
Headquarters26-30th Building, Bacho Kiro St., Sofia
Youth wingYouth Movement DOST
IdeologyLiberalism[citation needed]
Turkish minority interests
Pro-Europeanism
Political positionCentre[citation needed]
Colours  Blue
  Yellow
National Assembly
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European Parliament
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Municipalities
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Website
dost.bg

Mestan, a long-time politician and member of the National Assembly of Bulgaria for Kardzhali,[1] served as chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), the main Turkish party in Bulgaria, from January 2013 to 24 December 2015. He was removed as party leader by the DPS central council and expelled from the party for what was considered an excessively pro-Turkish government stance following the downing of a Russian bomber jet by the Turkish Air Force.[2]

Mestan and his followers within the DPS subsequently founded a new party, DOST.[3]

In the 2017 parliamentary election the party obtained 2.9% of the vote (21.6% in Kardzhali) and no seat as it failed to meet the 4% electoral threshold.

Election results

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National Assembly

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Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Government
2017[a] Lyutvi Mestan 100,479 2.86 (#8)
0 / 240
New Extra-parliamentary
Apr 2021 Did not contest
0 / 240
  0 Extra-parliamentary
Jul 2021 Did not contest
0 / 240
  0 Extra-parliamentary
Nov 2021 Did not contest
0 / 240
  0 Extra-parliamentary
2022 Did not contest
0 / 240
  0 Extra-parliamentary
2023 Did not contest
0 / 240
  0 Extra-parliamentary
Jun 2024 Did not contest
0 / 240
  0 Extra-parliamentary
Oct 2024 Taner Alimolla 2,260 0.09 (#21)
0 / 240
  0 Extra-parliamentary
  1. ^ Run as part of the Association DOST coalition (DOST, NPSD and NDPS).

References

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  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-05-03. Retrieved 2014-05-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Bulgaria's DPS Party Expels Chairman Lyutvi Mestan". novinite.com. Sofia News Agency. 24 December 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Ousted Leader of Bulgaria's DPS Lyutvi Mestan Launches DOST Political Project". Novinite. 2016-02-27. Retrieved 2016-06-14.