1903 Bulgarian parliamentary election

1903 Bulgarian parliamentary election

←  1902 19 October 1903 1908  →
All 189 seats in the National Assembly 95 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	41.17%
Party Leader Seats +/– People's Liberal Dimitar Petkov 132 +123 People's Party Ivan Geshov 25 −7 LP (Radoslavists) Vasil Radoslavov 9 +1 Democratic Aleksandar Malinov 7 −1 Progressive Liberal Stoyan Danev 6 −76 Tonchevist Liberals Dimitar Tonchev 3 New Ind. People's Liberals 2 New Ind. Liberals 1 0 Conservative 1 −1 Undetermined – 2 0 Independents – 1 −12 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Racho Petrov Petrov II (Ind. + NLP) Racho Petrov Petrov II (Ind. + NLP)

Parliamentary elections were held in Bulgaria on 19 October 1903 to elect members of the XIII Ordinary National Assembly. Voter turnout was 41%. ^[1] The result was a victory for the People's Liberal Party. ^[2]

Results

By-elections were held to fill vacant seats on 19 October 1903, 29 February 1904, 20 March 1905, 16 March 1906 and 1 April 1907. This resulted in the People's Liberal Party winning 132 seats.

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	People's Liberal Party			132	+123
	People's Party			25	–7
	Liberal Party (Radoslavists)			9	+1
	Democratic Party			7	–1
	Progressive Liberal Party			6	–76
	Tonchevist Liberals			3	New
	Independent People's Liberals			2	New
	Independent Liberals			1	0
	Conservative Party			1	–1
	Undetermined			2	0
	Independents			1	–12
Total				189	0
Total votes		345,682	–
Registered voters/turnout		839,605	41.17
Source: National Statistical Institute [2]

Aftermath

The elected XIII National Assembly was the only Assembly in Bulgarian democratic history to serve a full regularly scheduled five-year term as provided for in the 1893 constitutional amendments, since the term of the Assembly was reduced to four years in 1911.

The first four governments during the Assembly's term only included members of the NLP and independents and were led by Racho Petrov (1903–1906), Dimitar Petkov (1906–1907), Dimitar Stanchov (interim in 1907) and Petar Gudev (1907–1908). They were characterised by repressive measures against the opposition and the increased political influence of the monarch Prince Ferdinand and are sometimes referred to as the "Second Stambolovist regime". ^[3] In late 1903 the government issued an amnesty for several Radoslavist former ministers, who had been imprisoned that June. There was a leadership struggle within the NLP following the assassination of PM and party leader Petkov in 1907. Nikola Genadiev, the elected party leader, agreed to place his two main opponents (Dobri Petkov  [ bg ] and Petar Gudev) in high positions of power as Chairman of Parliament and PM respectively. ^[4] In 1907 the University crisis  [ bg ] took place, resulting in the temporary closing of the Sofia University due to anti-government protests and strikes.

In February 1907 several opposition parties (the People's Party, the Progressive Liberal Party, the Democratic Party, the Radical Democratic Party and the Broad Socialists) formed a coalition named the Patriotic Bloc. In January 1908 Prince Ferdinand caused the resignation of the government and tasked Democratic Party leader Aleksandar Malinov with forming a government and later scheduled elections for May 1908. Malinov's government only included Democrats. ^[4]

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p368 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Statistique des elections des deputes pour la XIII-eme Assemblee nationale ordinaire. NSI. 1909. p. 182.
3. "Предизвикателствата на опозиционния статус. Прогресивнолибералната партия (1903–1911)" (in Bulgarian).
4. "Политически партии, организации и движения в България и техните лидери" (in Bulgarian).