Volt Bulgaria

Volt Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Волт България, abbreviated Volt) is a social-liberal political party in Bulgaria. It is the Bulgarian branch of Volt Europa, a political movement that operates on a European level. It is currently part of the centrist electoral coalition We Continue the Change.^{[citation needed]}

Volt Bulgaria Волт България
European Party Volt
Abbreviation	Volt / Волт
Chairperson	Nastimir Ananiev
Vice Chairperson	Boris Borisov
Founded	19 May 2018; 7 years ago (2018-05-19)
Headquarters	Sofia
Ideology	European federalism[1] Pro-Europeanism[2] Social liberalism[3] Progressivism[4] Technoliberalism
Political position	Centre to centre-left
National affiliation	Stand Up.BG! We are coming! (2021) We Continue the Change (2021–2024)
European affiliation	Volt Europa
Colours	Purple
National Assembly	0 / 240
European Parliament	0 / 17
Municipalities	3 / 265
Website
volt.bg
Politics of Bulgaria Political parties Elections

National sections of Volt Europa. The borders of the European Union are shown in red.

Although it being a part of the currently active Volt Europa movement, the Bulgarian chapter of Volt has been inactive, rather affiliating itself with We Continue the Change, instead of its own branding.

Foundation

Volt Bulgaria was founded in Sofia on 19 May 2018, with Nastimir Ananiev as its first chairman.

History

2019 European Parliament election

The 2019 European Parliament election was the first election in which Volt took part. The party obtained 0.18% of the Vote in Bulgaria.^[5] Although the Bulgarian branch of Volt was unable to obtain a seat in the European Parliament, it is currently represented by the German branch, which won one seat.

2019 Bulgarian local election

Volt Bulgaria participated in the 2019 Bulgarian Local Elections, with the ''Together for Change'' Coalition list, and obtained 7.12% of the votes in Haskovo,^[6] 6.12% in Rodopi,^[7] and 6.39% in Sopot,^[8] earning Volt a seat in each of those localities.

April 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election

Volt Bulgaria participated in the April 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election as part of the anti-government coalition ISMV. The coalition gained 14 seats in parliament, none of which were allocated to members of Volt.^[9]

July 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election

Volt Bulgaria participated again in the early July 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election as part of the anti-government coalition ISMV. The coalition gained 13 seats in parliament, none of which were allocated to members of Volt.^[10]

November 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election

Volt Bulgaria participated in the November 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election as part of the electoral coalition We Continue the Change (PP) led by Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev, the former caretaker Economy and Finance Ministers, respectively.^[11] The coalition gained 67 seats in parliament, two of which was allocated to members of Volt. This makes Volt Bulgaria the second Volt Europa party to enter a national legislature after Volt Netherlands.

Election results

National Assembly

Election	Leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Government
Apr 2021[a]	Nastimir Ananiev	150,940	4.65 (#6)	0 / 240	New	Snap election
Jul 2021[a]		136,885	4.95 (#6)	0 / 240	0	Snap election
Nov 2021[b]		666,837	25.65 (#1)	2 / 240	2	Coalition
2022[b]		506,099	19.52 (#2)	2 / 240	0	Snap election
2023[c]		621,069	23.54 (#2)	1 / 240	1	Coalition
Jun 2024[c]		307,849	13.92 (#3)	0 / 240	1	Snap election
Oct 2024		Did not participate

1. Run as part of the Stand Up! Mafia, Get Out! coalition.
2. Run as part of the We Continue the Change coalition.
3. Run as part of the PP–DB coalition.

European Parliament

Election	List leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	EP Group
2019	Nastimir Ananiev	3,500	0.18 (#18)	0 / 17	New	–
2024[a]	Nikola Minchev	290,865	14.45 (#3)	0 / 17	0

1. Run as part of the PP-DB coalition.