The paper analyses changes in party leadership in Bulgarian parties during 2001-2026 and their effects on party electoral success and resilience in a context of electoral volatility, protest voting, and an unstable party system.
The main research questions are: When does leadership change occur, and what are the main causes? How is the leadership change taking place, and who are the main initiators? What are the short- and long-term goals and consequences of the leadership change for the party? Are there differences in leadership change between the “old” established parties and new political entrepreneurs?
The study encompasses all parliamentary parties over 25 years period in Bulgaria. The short-term impact of the leadership change relates to electoral success in the elections that follow the reform, while long-term effects concern the party's resilience and survival on the ground.
