The Bulgarian Parliament has long been labelled the public institution with the lowest approval levels. Asked for a reason, people usually cite MPs’ poor attendance and the consequent lack of quorum. Another negative perception centred on voting with other MPs’ electronic cards during their absence, a regular spectacle during the recently ended four-year 40th National Assembly.

Hence, when Boiko Borissov’s party, the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (abbreviated as GERB in Bulgarian), won the largest share of votes at the elections, it vowed to restore public trust in Parliament. The public also took a poor view of MPs’ habit of frequently switching parties in Parliament, labelling them "political nomads".

Previous efforts to change bad practices in Parliament faced a wall of resistance from all MPs. Now at the helm of the largest group in Parliament (116 MPs out of 240), Borissov has taken a radical approach. A day before the  start of the new Parliament’s term, the media discovered that all GERB’s MPs have signed their resignations from Parliament, leaving only the date unfilled.

These resignations have been filed with GERB, giving Borissov the right to approve them at any time he sees fit.

When former monarch Simeon Saxe-Coburg won the elections in 2001, he also promised to find a mechanism for dismissing MPs from Parliament. However, according to the constitution, this can only happen either voluntarily or if the MP is convicted of a crime and jailed. This made it possible for people to leave their groupings, soon after elections, citing disagreements with their parties’ policy, but staying as independent MPs in Parliament.

Unlike Saxe-Coburg’s, however, Borissov’s MPs would be asked to leave Parliament if they miss three Parliamentary sessions each season without a good reason. This hands Borissov two advantages: first a loyal group of MPs and a plenary hall full of MPs at every session. This would undoubtedly be a strong PR tool, especially when TV cameras start showing GERB’s MPs present while opponents are absent.

Critics of Borissov’s scheme, on the other hand, claim that introducing rules more suitable for high schools will not reap positive results as quantity does not always means quality. However, the words of newly elected Speaker of Parliament, GERB’s Tsetska Tsacheva, come to show how GERB sees its role henceforth. "People voted for us because they want to see a radical change in the way institutions work. We need to fulfil their wishes and we hope that by setting an example the other parties will do the same," she told Bulgarian National Television on July 14.

Fortunately for GERB, out of its 166 MPs, only one has experience of Parliament. This means that they are still to develop a Parliamentary culture, so clear internal rules could work in their favour. So far the other parties in Parliament, all of whom have had previous experience, seem reluctant to adopt the same code of conduct. But media coverage forced them to say that they would discontinue the practice of voting for other absent MPs.

Borissov’s control mechanism proved effective the day before the start of Parliament’s term when one of his MPs decided not to take his seat. Legally, he did so voluntarily but with Borissov’s approval. The "victim" in this case was Todor Yosiffov, 26, elected from the Black Sea city of Bourgas. Although Yosiffov has long since ceased his rap career and is highly valued at GERB’s Bourgas branch, he asked GERB and Borissov to accept his resignation from Parliament because of the way the media had raked through his past as a rap singer from 2003 when he used the stage name "The Maniac".

According to Yosiffov, this media attention had started to undermine GERB and Borissov’s public image, hence his desire to step down. This made Yosiffov the first MP in Bulgaria to resign voluntarily because of media attention. As a reward for his noble act, Borissov said he would find him a place in the executive branch, as soon as the new GERB government is formed.