Breaking the Curse? - Bulgaria’s 7th Early Parliamentary Election since 2021

In this episode, Dr. Bálint L. Tóth sits down with Dr. Katia Mihailova of the University of National and World Economy in Sofia to unpack the far-reaching implications of Bulgaria’s 19 April 2026 legislative election—an unprecedented 8th snap vote since 2021. Against a backdrop of political crisis, corruption scandals, rising living costs, and allegations of vote buying, the conversation explores what the results reveal about Bulgaria’s shifting political, social, economic, and cultural landscape. The discussants examine the internal dynamics and external influences shaping the outcome, from regional party strongholds to the voting preferences of different social groups. At the heart of the discussion is Dr. Mihailova’s striking argument that this election may have broken the long-standing “silence of the voters,” signaling an end to political apathy and a possible turning point for Bulgarian democracy. What emerges is a compelling analysis of an election that matters not only for Bulgaria’s future, but for understanding broader transformations across Europe.With the help of guest experts and politicians, in the podcast series of MCC’s Centre for Political Science we endeavor to analyze which actors are the real winners of the parliamentary and municipal elections taking place this year in different European countries and what exactly can be considered a real victory after the ballot counts.