We Continue The Change – Democratic Bulgaria

We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (), also known simply as PP–DB, is a Bulgarian electoral coalition between We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria ( DaB and DSB). The alliance was formed prior to the 2023 election.

Background

Bulgarian political crisis

Following numerous corruption scandals linked to the governing GERB party, several anti-corruption parties made breakthroughs in the April 2021 election. One of such parties was the liberal-conservative group, Democratic Bulgaria (DB). Due to the resulting political deadlock, no government could be formed and the country would go onto face two further elections in 2021, one in July and one in November. Before the November election, two popular ministers from Stefan Yanev's first interim government, Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev formed a new centrist political force, the We Continue the Change (PP). PP would go on to win the November election, and negotiated a government with DB, alongside the Socialist Party (BSP) and another anti-corruption party There Is Such a People (ITN).

The government fell after less than seven months in power, after ITN pulled out due to disagreements over the Budget and Macedonian accession to the European Union. The government was voted out in a Vote of No Confidence. President Rumen Radev called an election in October 2022, in which PP fell back to second behind GERB. No government could be formed as a result of the election, and so a further election was set to be held in April 2023.

Formation

The alliance was announced on 10 February 2023. The alliance's stated aim was to get the most votes in the April 2023 election, giving them the first chance of forming a government. A joint declaration titled "We Continue Together" was signed on 13 February 2023 by representatives of PP, Yes, Bulgaria!, Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria, and the Green Movement (ZD), formally announcing the formation of the alliance.

Election campaign

2023 election

Issues with regional lists

There were disagreements between members of the alliance over the orders and members of regional lists.

Prior to the final announcement and submission of the regional lists, some figures in PP either left the party or threatened to leave it. Notably, a prominent PP Member of Parliament (MP) from Pleven, Ivan Hristanov, declared that he would be leaving PP, and would not participate in the upcoming elections. There was speculation that he left due to conflicts with the leader of the list in the Pleven Electoral District. Petkov denied that this was the case.

PP MP from Sofia Oblast, Alexander Dunchev, announced he would not be contesting the election and would leave PP, due to a DB member being placed as the leader of the list, calling the decision a "betrayal".

Chairman of the PP Parliamentary Group, Andrey Gyurev, denied that any "under the table" negotiations about list leaders were on-going and that all list leaders would be chosen based on merit. Gyurev confirmed that the PP Executive Council would meet on 22 February to finalise the list with DB.

On 27 February, a day before lists were to be announced, disagreements broke out in Blagoevgrad Province. This led to DB MP and lawyer, Ivan Dimitrov, who had been selected to be third on the local list, to announce that he would be withdrawing from politics, citing problems with the joint list as one of his reasons.

Campaign

The PP–DB coalition began its campaign on 19 February at an open air event in front of the National Theater in Sofia. The event was attended by PP co-leaders, Petkov and Vasilev, Panev, the leader of ZD, DSB leader Atanas Atanasov, independent former BSP MP Yavor Bozhankov, as well as leaders of public organisations which had decided to endorse the list. At this meeting, it was confirmed that Yavor Bozhankov will lead the list in Gabrovo, additionally that PP–DB stated that they represent the "good forces" in Bulgarian politics, as opposed to GERB, which represented a return to the past.

On 3 March, Bulgarian Liberation Day, PP–DB unveiled their slogan "There is a Way" () at an event. The alliance called for Bulgarians to come together to fight for change, proposing five steps that would ensure a "good European life for all Bulgarians". The five steps are as follows:
*Joining the Eurozone in 2023
*Joining the Schengen area in 2023
*Investing millions into regional development, including especially strengthening farms
*Diversifying Bulgaria's energy supply
*Guaranteeing quality healthcare and education for all Bulgarians

Regional list leaders

The following table displays all the candidates who are placed first in the regional list for PP–DB for the April 2023 elections.

Ideology and platform

''Tagesschau'' described the PP–DB coalition as liberal-conservative, anti-corruption, and Atlanticist.

In their joint declaration the coalition laid out their main policy proposals in 13 points, including:

* Equal rights for all Bulgarian citizens
* Judicial reform and equality before the law
* Improving conditions for development of private business
* Lowering carbon emissions and implementing environmental protection
* Working towards energy independence
* Further integration with the European Union and NATO and joining the Schengen Area and the Eurozone

Composition

Members and Structure

The coalition was registered ahead of the 2023 election and originally included six parties (PP, DSB, DaB!, Volt, SEK and ZD) In addition, former BSP MP Yavor Bozhankov led the list in Gabrovo.

On the 26th of May, Radostin Vasiliev, leader of Strong Bulgaria and nominally a PP MP, announced that he would be leaving the PP–DB group in order to become an independent, due to his frustration with internal corruption and the recent government deal with GERB-SDS.

On 15 April 2024 the Green Movement left PP–DB. On the 24th of April 2024, SEK also left PP–DB.

Prior to the October 2024 election, Volt left the coalition following reports that DB pushed for them to be excluded.

Affiliated groups

Former members

The following parties and civic organizations officially disassociated from the PP–DB coalition.

Election results

National Assembly

European Parliament

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:PP-DB
2023 establishments in Bulgaria
Anti-corruption parties
Liberal parties in Bulgaria
Political parties established in 2023
Political party alliances in Bulgaria
Pro-European political parties in Bulgaria