President Radev Hands over Last Government-Forming Mandate to Bulgarian Socialists

President Rumen Radev Friday presented the third government-forming mandate to the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), which is the third largest parliamentary group in the 46th National Assembly. It is the last chance for this Parliament to try to form a government after the biggest and second biggest groups, There Is Such a People (TISP) and GERB, were unable or unwilling to do that.
Unlike the previous two mandates which are offered to a Prime Minister designate of the respective party, the third is presented to the parliamentary group to allow them more time for talks with the other political forces.
TISP have said they would stay out of any talks on a government. Democratic Bulgaria vowed not to back a government on a Socialist mandate. Rise Up BG! Here We Come! are willing to have talks. GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms have been kept out of any talks by the other four.
If this mandate fails, which analysts say is most likely, the President must dissolve the National Assembly, appoint a caretaker government and schedule early parliamentary elections. The previous 45th National Assembly was disbanded early for that same reason./bta