Bulgaria’s demographic crisis has moved beyond the realm of statistics and has become a matter of national security, according to Associate Professor Spas Tashev. Speaking on Radio Blagoevgrad, the demographer and researcher at the Institute for Population and Human Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences said recent data show signs of partial stabilisation, including a positive migration balance and the return of Bulgarian citizens from abroad.

Tashev stressed that Bulgarians living outside the country represent a long-term strategic resource that the state must actively engage through consistent and forward-looking policies. In his view, political stability and continuity in governance are essential if any serious progress is to be made. Without them, attempts to address the demographic decline will remain fragmented and ineffective. He argued that tackling the demographic challenge should become Bulgaria’s national doctrine for the 21st century.

Election Code changes spark backlash among Bulgarians abroad

Against this backdrop, strong reactions have followed recent amendments to the Electoral Code. After lengthy debates, the National Assembly adopted at second reading a provision limiting the number of polling stations outside Bulgarian diplomatic and consular missions in non-EU countries to a maximum of 20. The proposal, introduced by the Revival parliamentary group, was approved by 117 MPs, opposed by 82, with 10 abstentions. WCC-DB, DPS-New Beginning, MECH, Greatness and the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms voted against the change.

Critics warn that the restriction will have a particularly negative effect in countries with traditionally high voter turnout, such as the United Kingdom, Türkiye and the United States. Fewer polling stations are expected to lead to overcrowding and long queues, potentially discouraging voters who would need to travel long distances to cast their ballots.

Former President Rumen Radev reacted sharply, describing the decision as another attempt by the political status quo to hold on to power by limiting the democratic rights of Bulgarians living abroad.

Concerns from the Bulgarian community in the United States

The United States is among the countries most affected by the new rule. Compared to the parliamentary elections in October 2024, the number of polling stations there will be reduced by nearly half. Daniel Djenev, an election volunteer from Chicago, explained on Radio Bulgaria that the U.S. is divided into four consular regions: Washington, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, each covering between 10 and 15 states.

In recent elections, there were around 55 polling stations across the country, averaging 10 to 15 per consular district. In the Chicago region alone, eight stations operated in the city and suburbs, with six more in the surrounding states. Under the new limit, Djenev said, this would likely be reduced to just two to four polling stations in Chicago, with most stations in neighboring states closed. Voters would then face a stark choice: spend an entire day traveling to vote or not vote at all.

Djenev, who has lived in Chicago since 2005 and works as an accountant, has served on election commissions for many years. He emphasized that elections abroad have been conducted under various systems, including paper ballots and different types of voting machines, all overseen by volunteers from the local Bulgarian community. According to him, these volunteers are motivated by a strong sense of responsibility, as many emigrants plan to return to Bulgaria after retirement and remain deeply invested in the country’s future.

He rejected claims that Bulgarians abroad are easily influenced or vote uniformly for specific parties. On the contrary, he said, they follow political developments closely, make independent choices and support a wide range of political forces. For this reason, he sees no rational justification for restricting polling stations outside the country.

Political and institutional criticism of the restrictions

Political analyst Yuriy Aslanov also criticized the amendments, warning that any limitation of citizens’ rights sends a negative signal. Drawing on his long observation of changes to Bulgaria’s election laws since 1990, Aslanov noted that election outcomes have often contradicted the intentions behind such legislative changes.

Meanwhile, representatives of Yes, Bulgaria, part of the Democratic Bulgaria coalition within the broader Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria alliance, called on President Iliana Yotova to veto the amendments. According to Yes, Bulgaria co-chair Ivaylo Mirchev, the restrictions risk recreating scenes of long queues seen in the UK in previous years, with voters traveling hours and waiting most of the day to vote. He described this as an insult to Bulgarians abroad, who send around EUR 3 billion to Bulgaria annually and should, at a minimum, be guaranteed access to the ballot box.

Mirchev argued that the real motivation behind the measure is the desire of certain political actors, including DPS-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski, to limit the influence of votes from abroad, which are harder to manipulate.

CEC: Turkey, the USA and the UK most affected

Deputy Chair of the Central Election Commission Rositsa Mateva confirmed that voters in Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom will be the most affected by the changes. Speaking on Nova TV, she said the new rules would not simplify the work of the CEC. On the contrary, determining the locations of polling stations will become more complicated and will depend on proposals from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the heads of diplomatic missions, based on voter applications and past turnout data.

Mateva recalled that a previous limit of 35 polling stations existed in 2016, when queues were common in parts of the UK. She pointed out that when 35 stations operated, around 34,000 people voted in the UK; when the number increased to 135 stations, turnout rose to 35,000; and in the most recent elections, about 21,000 people voted.

She underlined that the role of the CEC is to implement the rules set by lawmakers. Mateva also noted that proposals to introduce scanners did not reach the plenary hall and that there is no time to pursue such changes now. The CEC’s position, expressed earlier in 2025, is that new technologies should be introduced gradually and tested in practice, especially given the specific design of Bulgarian ballots.

Finally, she expressed hope that parties will nominate responsible members for sectional election commissions and avoid proposing individuals previously found to have committed violations.