Симеон Асенов

The article explores the growing tension between the constitution and the political process under the influence of various crisis processes and problems in Bulgarian democracy. Their conceptual differences are expressed through the limiting framework of the constitutional norms and the strong dynamics and instability in the political space. The thesis asserts that in conditions of political crisis, democratic institutions and parliamentary parties are more often inclined to violate the constitution or to use it excessively as a tool for institutional op- position in the political process. The concrete manifestations and dimensions of this tension are analyzed, through examples from the Bulgarian political pro- cess in recent years. Mechanisms and guidelines for improving the relationship between the constitutional order and political practice in Bulgarian democracy are proposed.