Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, has resubmitted to the Parliament his request for a national referendum on electoral rights. The activation of a plebiscite on election rules aims to inquire Bulgarians on three key issues: whether they want to elect lawmakers directly trough a majority system (rather than from party lists), to make voting compulsory and to allow electronic voting.
Plevneliev explained that the upcoming local elections scheduled for this autumn (most likely in end-October or early in November) can be easily combined with this referendum. “I appeal to the parliament to take a decision to hold a referendum. I believe it will help to stabilize the institutions and increase public trust,” he said.
The President brings back the poll theme on elections rules in his fourth year in office, as it failed to take place in 2014. However, the initiative will now be considered by a different Parliament, which was elected in October last year. The insistence of the Head of the state on this topic comes after a month of political consultations with all parties in the legislature.
The three elements to be consulted respond to the particulars that Bulgarians can currently choose 240 parliament members only from party lists. According to Plevneliev the changes would ensure that parliament is not monopolized by those who represent party members; while compulsory voting would boost the legitimacy of the results and decrease the effects of possible vote buying. Additionally, “electronic voting would help tens of thousands of Bulgarians living abroad participate in elections,” argued the President.
The National Electoral Commission of Bulgaria as well as voters already in at least 16 cities had the possibility to test electronic voting during the European Union Parliament elections last May. Here it is a video on the experience.
Image courtesy of criminalatt at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
