Bulgaria: Mechanisms and challenges of national referendums

In Bulgaria, referendums serve as a form of direct democracy allowing citizens to express support or disagreement on matters of national importance. Under the Law on Direct Participation of Citizens in State Power and Local Self-Government, several entities can initiate a referendum: at least one-fifth of members of the National Assembly, the Head of State, the Council of Ministers, or at least one-fifth of municipal councilors.

Citizens can also initiate a referendum by collecting signatures. If 200,000 valid signatures are gathered, the National Assembly may review the request, while 400,000 signatures make the consideration of the topic mandatory. However, certain subjects are excluded from referendums, including the state budget, the tax system, entire sets of laws, and ratified international contracts.

To reduce costs to the state treasury, there are proposals to align referendum dates with general elections. Political scientist Daniela Bozhinova notes a significant difference between the Bulgarian system, where referendums are rare exceptions, and the American system, where voters often decide on dozens of specific public issues and various offices simultaneously through complex ballots.