The inclusion of political parties in the domestic political process cannot be reduced exclusively or primarily to the time in which they exercise executive authority. Therefore, the study of the role of political parties in the process of Bulgaria's EU integration is an essential element of the conception of a general idea, and theoretical model, of the process. Of course, the influence of parties on the foreign policy and international image of a given country is a function of its political system and above all of the role, status and functions of political parties within it.
According to this model, parties are involved in internal political processes as representatives of a certain part of public opinion. In a sense, the model of the American party system is based more on the Òexpert participation of political parties in the formulation of foreign policy.
THE EUROPEAN POLITICAL MODELS AS NATIONAL
BULGARIAN INSTITUTIONS IN THE MIRROR
For Bulgaria, the European political model of a constitutional monarchy was a 'civilizing' means, a means of breaking away from the legacy of the Ottoman Empire. The 1971 constitution was entirely in the spirit of the general Eastern European communist model of state constitution. This palette of constitutional borrowings contains elements of the experience of Germany, France, Italy and the US.
It is as if the intention of the founders of the new republic was to include the "best" of Western democracies. In fact, part of the constitutional debates in 1990-91 concerned precisely which constitutional model to adopt (French, American, German or Italian).
THE EUROPEAN GENEALOGY OF PARTY LABELS
The creation of the Bulgarian nation-state was intertwined in a knot of contradictions between the great states. The reference to foreign political models has been an essential part of the party identity in most Bulgarian political formations. The foreign state is emblematic of the proposed political model, and the declared sympathy with it does not constitute "national treason".
And this is evident from the problematic ideological combination of the race theory and the national identity. USA, Russia, Europe, Turkey Ð a whole range of foreign reference models, present in the political identity of each of the current political parties.
THE EUROPEAN IDEA AS A FACTOR IN THE DIFFERENTIATION
In any case, the first political programs and strategies from the beginning of the transition described the goals of the political movement in terms of approximation to European standards, adoption of European characteristics. The concise formula Òdemocracy and market economy“ summed up the essence of modern Western European society in the eyes of the new political actors. But it actually exists because it outlines the main features of Western society in the way it has been accepted as a model to be followed.
In addition to this genuine programmatic consensus, at the beginning of the transition, a multitude of parties and organizations appeared that proclaimed their "European essence", the ideological movement Road to Europe within the framework of the BSP, the World Party and the United States of Europe. In fact, at that time, but also later, public opinion was little aware of the difficulties involved in this accession, of the efforts it would require, even if only in the economic sphere.
THE APPROXIMATION OF PARTY STRUCTURE
EUROPEAN PARTIES IN QUEST
One of the reasons for this is the growing rapprochement and support of some conservative and Christian Democratic parties from the EU and the US. It is only a natural process of aligning the Bulgarian party-political structure with that of the EU. One of the most effective channels through which European parties influence the differentiation of the Bulgarian political space is the activity of related foundations.
Party foundations and institutes in Bulgaria create their own ÒclientelesÓ of sorts Ð associated with their activities are certain groups from the political and intellectual elite who play an active role in the political debate and serve as active intermediaries for the introduction in Bulgaria of the respective political ideas. The influence of those organizations in relation to party differentiation is mostly felt through their efforts to consolidate the respective party and political sector.
THE INTERNAL LOGIC OF POLITICAL DIFFERENTIATION
Of course, this differentiation of roles and the choice of label are not arbitrary. They formed the "youth party", which remained particularly sensitive to the "national issue". Ò YoungÓ's descendants from the former Liberal Party initiated most of the political parties of the 20th century.
This is one of the ways to bring political orientations closer to the European model. Political parties will now have to address this new, specific aspect of the EU debate in Bulgaria. Each of the political parties has contributed to this consensus, especially as regards EU membership.
It is still not possible to talk about a final consolidation of the party based on the principles of European social democracy. The withdrawal from the UDF of BANU ÒNikola PetkovÓ (with Milan Drençev) in 1991 also weakened the positions of the left and center-left parties in the coalition. With the subsequent crisis of the BSP, the Association had the opportunity to attract disillusioned supporters of the Socialists.
The founding congress of the Bulgarian Euroleft (with the formal unification of its components Ð CAR, the alternative socialists and the social democrats) was held on 28 February Ð March 1, 1998. Already in 1994-1995 there was a split which led to the temporary dissolution of the BBB parliamentary group. The Political Economy of the Eastern Enlargement of the European Union: A Case Study on Bulgaria.- Sofia, 1999.
ÒTHE EUROPEAN CONSENSUSÓ
THE ROADS TO EUROPE OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES
- BSP AND THE ROAD TO THE EUROPEAN
- UDF: FROM POLITICAL AMBIVALENCE
- THE EUROLEFT IN QUEST OF LEGITIMACY
- THE CONTRIBUTION OF OTHER PARTIES
Since changing its name in April 1990, it has primarily sought its legitimacy as a party of the Social Democrats of Bulgaria. More specifically, it is the Hungarian Socialist Party, the Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland, Social Democrats from Slovenia, as well as the Social Democratic parties in Ukraine and Russia. The BSP clearly strives to be legitimized as a social democratic party and therefore only participates in some of the initiatives in this forum.
The Òanti-NATOÓ position of the BSP reveals reminiscences of the past, as well as the ÒRussianÓ aspect of its international identity. It should not be forgotten that within the BSP itself there are tendencies that differ significantly in terms of the social democratic identity of the party. This duality of BSP's international identity hinders its ÒrecognitionÓ by Western social democracy as a whole.
But over time, the correlation between these basic components of the coalition changed, thus changing the overall image of the UDF as a whole. Then, with the strengthening of the positions of the RDP, it joined as a full member of the Liberal International. 13RDP also split, part of it left the UDF and retains the status of a member of the Liberal International.
At that time, the tendencies of party differentiation, divisions and alliances had led to the reduction of the weight of left and center-left political parties and organizations in the composition of the UDF. Thus Euromajta, created on the basis of CAR, naturally occupied the space to the left of the center and began to claim social-democratic legitimacy. This undoubtedly facilitated the faster recognition of the new party as a contender for international social-democratic legitimation.
The fact is that Eurolinks has so far been the only left-wing party in Bulgaria that has managed to attract new (albeit small) organizations integrated into it, as well as new deputies from the dissolved parliamentary group of the Bulgarian party. Business Block (BBB). It seems that the joint efforts of the social democrats are supported and encouraged by the Party of European Socialists, but also by individual social democratic foundations from the EU.
EUROPEAN STANDARDS AND NATIONAL IDENTITY
Political parties could focus more on cooperation with their partners in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe or in the European Parliament, rather than only with the European institutions. As a result of the April 1997 elections, representatives of five parties and coalitions were elected to the National Assembly: BSP, Bulgarian Euroleft, National Salvation Union (MRF, Green Party, New Choice Union, BBB, United Democratic Forces (as coalition Under the new Under these circumstances, the leadership of the party was reformed and Zhan Videnov was elected chairman (replacing Alexander Lilov, who had resigned).
The reason lies largely in the fact that George Gantchev has repeatedly managed to personify the protest voice of the younger generations. This resulted in the resignation of the government and the formation, on the initiative of the MRF, of an expert government led by Prof. After 1944, part of the farmers became allies with the communists, while another part (BANU Nikola Petkov) remained in opposition and was banned in 1947.
DP was part of the United Democratic Forces in the 1997 elections and has a member of the current coalition government (Deputy Prime Minister Veselin Metodiev). UDF was formed in December 1989 as a coalition of ten political parties and organizations, at the very beginning of the changes. Zheliu Zhelev, succeeded by Petar Beron on August 1, 1990, after the former was elected President of the Republic.
In 1992-93, after Phillip Dimitrov's first UDF government resigned, relations between the Union and President Zhelev deteriorated. 16.01.1990 Launch of the Round Table with the participation of the BCP and representatives of the UDF. 21.12.1993 Declaration by the National Assembly in support of Bulgaria's accession to NA-TO and WEU.
18.12.1994 After an agreement between the parliamentary parties to hold early elections, Reneta Indjova is appointed Prime Minister of the interim government. 29.03.1996 Agreement reached between UDF and Popular Union on holding primary elections for the nomination of a single opposition presidential candidate.
