Headline: Bulgaria‘s 2024 Elections Cost State Nearly €120 Million, Plus Political Parties’ Expenses
Article:
The 2024 elections in Bulgaria have proved to be expensive affairs, with the state forking out nearly €120 million for their organization, according to Iva Lazarova, Chair of the Public Council to the Central Election Commission (CEC) and Head of the Institute for Development of the Public Environment. This figure, combined with political parties‘ campaign expenses, underscores the significant resources invested in the democratic process.
State Expenditure and CEC Efficiency
Lazarova revealed to Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) that the state has spent close to €120 million (approximately 240 million Bulgarian Lev) on organizing the three elections held this year. In contrast, the participating political parties spent around €700,000 (14 million Bulgarian Lev) on their campaigns.
The CEC, under Lazarova’s leadership, held 170 meetings this year. However, she criticized the Commission’s administration, stating that 80% of its decisions were procedural, focusing on administrative and logistics rather than substantive improvements to the electoral process.
Challenges and Low Voter turnout
Lazarova identified a key challenge as political parties’ unwillingness to take responsibility for improving the electoral process. She lamented that this inability to engender trust in the electoral process has led to low voter turnout. Around 35% of the state’s expenditure was dedicated to remunerations for section committee members.
Bulgaria’s voter turnout lagged behind that of other countries. While the average turnout for European Parliament elections was around 51% across EU member states, Bulgaria’s turnout stood at approximately 33%. Similarly, when compared to the US, where turnout for the presidential election was around 66%, Bulgaria’s 33% turnout was less than half.
Lack of Substantial Debate
Lazarova also attributed low voter engagement to the lack of meaningful debate among political parties. She noted that while corruption and institutional reform were mentioned in campaign platforms, parties did not provide concrete solutions, instead focusing on internal disputes.
Constitutional Court and Election Monitoring
The elections were challenged in the Constitutional Court, and the Public Council to the CEC sought observer status during the recount and expanded audit processes. However, their request was rejected. Lazarova expressed disappointment with this decision, stating that allowing independent observers could have enhanced transparency and rebuilt voter trust.
As Bulgaria looks towards future elections, addressing these challenges and improving the electoral process will be crucial for bolstering voter confidence and engagement.
