Bulgarian Public Council proposes professionalizing election administration

Tsvetelina Penkova, a long-standing member of the Public Council to the Central Election Commission (CEC) in Bulgaria, has attributed low voter turnout to failures within the political class. Speaking to BNR, Penkova stated that political messages failed to resonate with voters and that candidates from initiative committees were unable to effectively engage the electorate.

Penkova noted that economic concerns, including rising daily living costs and anxiety regarding the upcoming winter, contributed to voter apathy. To address systemic issues, the Public Council has submitted a proposal to professionalize the CEC administration. The proposal suggests that election officials should be appointed based on merit rather than being nominated by political parties, ensuring they bear full responsibility for the electoral process.