Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) features as the only strong opposition to the ruling tripartite coalition, leader of the rightist Union of Free Democrats (UFD) Stefan Sofianski said.

On May 29 Sofianski announced his withdrawal from politics. He is the third rightist party leader to resign after Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) head Petar Stoyanov and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) leader Ivan Kostov did the same.

To become strong, rightist parties need to discuss their policies, Sofianski said. A common strategy is needed before rightist parties decide to work together with CEDB, he said.

Sofianski said that preliminary elections could be expected in the autumn. A political crisis in Bulgaria could result from failure to utilise EU funds and the current crop crisis the country is experiencing.

Negative developments in the rightist opposition resulted from the failure of parties to win major support in Bulgaria’s first members of European Parliament (MEP) elections. None of the formations managed to get enough votes to send their representatives to the EP.

The MEP elections also mark a victory for CEDB, which emerged as the most supported party, taking a narrow lead over the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).