Liberalism and radicalism in Bulgaria

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This article gives an overview of liberalism and radicalism in Bulgaria. It is limited to liberal and radical parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary that parties label themselves as a liberal party.

Background

Liberalism was a dominant political force at the end of the nineteenth century. The current got strongly divided.

History

After the restoration of democracy in 1990, some parties got a liberal character. Liberalism is now represented by the mainly Turkish minority party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (Dviženie za prava i svobodi, observer LI, member ELDR) and the National Movement for Simeon II (Nacionalno Dviženie Simeon Vtori, member LI, ELDR), both taking a more or less liberal position.

From Liberal Party to Democratic Party

1879: Liberal forces united in the Liberal Party (Liberalna Partija)
1884: A right-wing faction formed the ⇒ Progressive Liberal Party
1886: Another right-wing faction formed the ⇒ People's Liberal Party
1887: A third faction formed the ⇒ Radoslav Liberal Party
1896: The party is renamed into Democratic Party (Demokratičeska Partija)
1905: A radical faction seceded as the ⇒ Radical Democratic Party
1923: A faction joined the Democratic Alliance (Demokratičeski Sgovor)
1934: The party is banned by the dictatorship
1945: The party is revived
1947: The party is banned by the communist dictatorship
1989: The party is revived as a Christian conservative party

Progressive Liberal Party

1884: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Liberal Party formed the Progressive Liberal Party (Progresivnoliberalna Partija)
1920: The party merged into the United National Progressive Party (Obedinena Narodnoprogresivna Partija)

People's Liberal Party

1886: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Liberal Party formed the People's Liberal Party (Narodnoliberalna Partija)
1920: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party

Radoslavist Liberal Party / National Liberal Party

1887: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Liberal Party formed the Radoslav Liberal Party (Liberalna-Radoslavistka Partija)
1904: A right-wing faction seceded as the ⇒ Tonchevist Young Liberal Party
1920: The party merged with the ⇒ Tonchevist Young Liberal Party and the ⇒ People's Liberal Party into the National Liberal Party (Nacionalliberalna Partija)
1934: The party is banned by the dictatorship

Tonchevist Young Liberal Party

1904: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Radoslav Liberal Party seceded as the Tonchevist Young Liberal Party (Mladoliberalna Partija-Tončevisti)
1920: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party

Radical (Democratic) Party

1905: A radical faction of the ⇒ Democratic Party seceded as the Radical Democratic Party (Radikaldemokratičeska Partija)
1922: The party is renamed Radical Party (Radikalna Partija)
1923: A faction joined the Democratic Alliance (Demokratičeski Sgovor)
1934: The party is banned by the dictatorship
1945: The party is revived
1949: The party is banned by the communist dictatorship
1989: The party is refounded as the Radical Democratic Party (Radikaldemokratičeska Partija)
1990s: The party took part in various electoral alliances with decreasing success

Movement for Rights and Freedoms

1990: Representatives of the Turkish minority formed the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (Dviženie za Prava i Svobodi), that develops in a more or less liberal direction

National Movement for Simeon II

2001: Followers of the ex-king formed the personalist National Movement for Simeon II (Nacionalno Dviženie Simeon Vtori), that takes a more or less liberal position in the spectrum

Liberal leaders

Pre-communist period
- Democratic Party: Petko Karavelov - Aleksandar Malinov - Nikola Mushanov
- Progressive Liberal Party: Dragan Tsankov - Stoyan Danev
- People's Liberal Party: Stefan Stambolov - Dimitar Petkov
- Radoslavist Liberal Party: Vasil Radoslavov
Post-communist period
Zhelyu Zhelev - Ahmed Dogan