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Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria

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Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Демократи за силна България, ДСБ, romanized: Demokrati za Silna Balgariya, DSB) is a political party in Bulgaria established by former Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov (1997–2001).

Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria
Демократи за силна България
AbbreviationDSB
LeaderAtanas Atanasov
FounderIvan Kostov
Founded30 May 2004 (2004-05-30)
Split fromUnion of Democratic Forces
Headquarters18 Vitosha Blvd., Sofia
Youth wingYDSB
Membership15,000
Ideology
Political positionCentre-right[7] to right-wing[8]
National affiliationDemocratic Bulgaria
European affiliationEuropean People's Party
European Parliament groupEuropean People's Party
Colors  Blue
Slogan"For a Strong Bulgaria in a Unified Europe"
(За силна България в обединена Европа)
National Assembly
6 / 240
European Parliament
1 / 17
Website
dsb.bg

History

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Kostov resigned as chairman of the United Democratic Forces after a painful election defeat in June 2001 to Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's newly established National Movement for Simeon II. The UDF had suffered heavily from allegations of corruption and increased unemployment after having carried out economic reforms during its four-year term.

With time 29 (out of 51) UDF MPs including Kostov grew increasingly dissatisfied with the new UDF leadership of chairwoman Nadezhda Mihailova, who was the foreign minister in Kostov's own government. Following another defeat for the UDF in the 2003 local elections and after Nadezhda Mihailova's refusal to bear the responsibility and resign, the group of 29 around Kostov announced their departure from the UDF and the formation of a new political force, the DSB.

DSB is a member of the European People's Party (EPP).

On 30 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Sofia City Council members from Democratic Bulgaria, a coalition Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria is part of, proposed a package of measures in defense of local economy. Those included ten-fold tax cut for landlords for leasing an apartment, rent-free period for businesses renting municipal property for the duration of the national emergency, and reorganization of Sofia public transport in view of the reduced passenger flow.[9][10]

Leaders

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Former DSB logo

It was chaired by Ivan Kostov since its establishment in May 2004 until June 2013.[11] He resigned after failing to reach the 4% electoral threshold in the 2013 election. The party was chaired by Radan Kanev, until his resignation following the 2017 election. Since then it has been chaired by Atanas Atanasov.[12]

• Ivan Kostov (2004 - 2013)

• Radan Kanev (2013 - 2017)

• Atanas Atanasov (2017 -

Election results

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National Assembly

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Election Votes % Seats +/– Government
2005 234,788 6.44 (#6)
17 / 240
 New Opposition
2009[a] 285,671 6.76 (#5)
15 / 240
   2 Support
2013 103,638 2.93 (#7)
0 / 240
   15 Extra-parliamentary
2014[b] 291,806 8.89 (#4)
23 / 240
   23 Coalition
2017[c] 86,984 2.48 (#6)
0 / 240
   23 Extra-parliamentary
Apr 2021[d] 302,280 9.31 (#5)
10 / 240
   10 Snap election
Jul 2021[d] 345,331 12.64 (#4)
11 / 240
   1 Snap election
Nov 2021[d] 166,966 6.37 (#6)
7 / 240
   4 Coalition
2022[d] 186,511 7.45 (#6)
8 / 240
   1 Snap election
2023[e] 621,069 23.54 (#2)
10 / 240
   2 Coalition
Jun 2024[e] 307,849 13.92 (#3)
8 / 240
   2 Snap election
Oct 2024[e] 346,063 13.74 (#2)
6 / 240
   2 TBA
  1. ^ Run as part of the Blue Coalition.
  2. ^ Run as part of the Reformist Bloc.
  3. ^ Run as part of New Republic, a coalition between Bulgarian democratic community, Union for Plovdiv and Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria.
  4. ^ a b c d Run as part of the Democratic Bulgaria coalition.
  5. ^ a b c Run as part of the PP–DB coalition.

President of Bulgaria

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Election year Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Rank Votes % Rank
2006 Nedelcho Beronov 271,078 9.75% 3rd - - -
2011 Rumen Hristov 65,761 1.95% 6th[a] - - -
2016 Traycho Traykov 224,734 5.87% 6th[b] - - -
2021 Lozan Panov 98,488 3.68% 5th[c] - - -
  1. ^ Run as part of the Blue Coalition.
  2. ^ Run as part of the Reformist Bloc.
  3. ^ Run as part of the Democratic Bulgaria coalition.

European Parliament

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Election List leader Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2007 Konstantin Dimitrov 84,350 4.35 (#7)
0 / 18
 New –
2009[a] Nadezhda Mihaylova 204,817 7.95 (#6)
2 / 18
   2 EPP
2014[b] Meglena Kuneva 144,532 6.45 (#5)
1 / 17
   1
2019[c] Radan Kanev 118,484 6.06 (#5)
1 / 17
   0
2024[d] Nikola Minchev 290,865 14.45 (#3)
1 / 17
   0
  1. ^ Run as part of the Blue Coalition.
  2. ^ Run as part of the Reformist Bloc.
  3. ^ Run as part of the Democratic Bulgaria coalition.
  4. ^ Run as part of the PP-DB coalition.

Program

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The fifth national meeting of the DSB in Sofia

The DSB define themselves as a moderately conservative, but also nationally oriented[1] party.

They regard themselves as successors of the ruling mandate of the United Democratic Forces (1997–2001) and promise to stand up for its achievements and build on them.

The party stands for a new structure, composition and organization of the constitutional powers in Bulgaria through the adoption of a new Constitution.

They propose a decrease in overall taxes, the creation of an investor-friendly tax and insurance environment and tax and insurance incentives to small and medium-sized enterprises and to companies that generate long-term employment. The DSB propose to reform the law enforcement institutions in order to cut off their connection with the criminal world and in order to abolish corruption. They also insist on making officials of the executive and the other branches of power fully accountable for their actions stripping them of their immunity.

They support the independence and public nature of the National Health Insurance Fund, the promotion of additional health insurance schemes through optional funds and competition between these funds.

The DSB stand for integration and coexistence of different ethnic communities on the basis of equality before the Law, regardless of religion, gender and origin and strongly oppose Ahmed Dogan, the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms claiming that his "Bulgarian Ethnic Model" is one of separation and encapsulation of Bulgarian Turks, aimed at monopolizing their vote instead of integrating them in Bulgarian society. This opposition has often been referred to as anti-minority nationalism.

Kostov and the DSB are outspoken opponents of the Bulgarian Socialist Party whom they regard as the heir to the Bulgarian Communist Party and define them as their main political enemy. They have also often criticized ex-Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha for allying himself with the socialists and who is accused, very much like Kostov was, of corruption.

Kostov's government was the one to begin adhesion talks with the European Union back in 1999 and the DSB continue to support European orientation for the country.

Before the elections of June 2005 Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria issued the Treaty for a Strong Bulgaria which is a 12-point resume of their program.

See also

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  Conservatism portal

References

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  1. ^ a b Bakke, Elisabeth (2010). "Party systems since 1989". Central and Southeast European Politics Since 1989. Cambridge University Press. p. 79. ISBN 9781139487504. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Konvolut der Scham oder linksliberalgrüne Verschwörung". heise.de (in German). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Bulgarien wählt". Die Tageszeitung: Taz (in German). 21 June 2006. p. 10. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  4. ^ "DEMOKRATEN FÜR EIN STARKES BULGARIEN". kas.de (in German). October 2004. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  5. ^ Brunwasser, Matthew (2006-11-20). "A death in Sofia revives memories of a shady past - Europe - International Herald Tribune". New York Times. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  6. ^ Routledge Handbook of European Elections edited by Donatella M. Viola, page 639
  7. ^ Gerhard Schminke, Tobias (2021-01-18). "The present and future of the Green wave – Part 2: The Future". Heinrich Böll Foundation.
  8. ^ Dragostinova, Theodora; Hashamova, Yana (2016). Beyond Mosque, Church, and State: Alternative Narratives of the Nation in the Balkans. Central European University Press. p. 274. ISBN 9789633862476.
  9. ^ "Предложихме мерки в помощ на софийската икономика". Demokratichna Bulgaria (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  10. ^ ""Демократична България" предлага десет пъти по-нисък данък за отдаване на апартамент под наем в София". dnevnik.bg (in Bulgarian). 30 March 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Българска национална телевизия - Новини - Политика - Радан Кънев е новият лидер на ДСБ". Archived from the original on 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  12. ^ "Atanas Atanasov is the new leader of DSB". Retrieved 2022-08-05.
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