GERB

The parliamentary elections in April and July 2021 are unprecedented in Bulgaria since 1989. The incapacity to form a government causes new elections, which reinforce some trends from the last 2-3 years. The two main system parties experience serious crisis: GERB is beginning to lose its political hegemony, the BSP is now in third place in terms of influence. New populist party (“There is such a people”) appears in parliament, new coalition of well known parties “Democratic Bulgaria” increases its support. The question is whether these changes will be lasting, which is the topic of the article.

The article looks at the last election campaign of GERB in its main phases – pre- paratory (preliminary), active and hot. It raises the thesis of the “preservation” campaigns of the party in the recent years. Additionally, the article explores the main actors, platform and messages of the campaign. Special attention is de- voted to the role of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in the hot phase of the cam- paign and his influence both on the attitudes of the electorate and on the overall dimension of electoral dynamics within the electoral period.