GERB party faces risks amid potential decision to skip presidential candidacy

Political analysts and sociologists are discussing the potential decision by the GERB party not to field a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections on October 25. Sociologist Evelina Slavkova from Trend suggests that Boyko Borisov appears to favor not having a specific candidate, a move she warns could pose a risk to the party by failing to mobilize its electorate ahead of local elections.

Slavkova notes that GERB voters might be more inclined to support Iliana Yotova rather than candidates like Andrey Gyurov. She also observes that the election will serve as a measure of the first 100 days of the 'Progressive Bulgaria' administration.

Political PR expert Nidal Algafari echoed these sentiments, suggesting that GERB seems to be stepping away from the presidency. He emphasized that delaying candidate announcements limits the ability to build a proper campaign platform. Algafari predicted that without a GERB candidate, the race may shift toward a battle for the runoff, noting that GERB supporters will likely either vote for Yotova or abstain from voting entirely.