Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria)

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Bulgaria
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The Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgarian: Съюз на демократичните сили or Saiuz na demokratichnite sili) is a political party in Bulgaria, founded in December 1989 as a union of eleven political organizations in opposition to the Communist government. The following year, six more parties were incorporated and in February 1997 the Union was transformed into a single unified party, the United Democratic Forces, by then-chairman and Prime Minister-to-be Ivan Kostov. The UDF is a member of the European People's Party.

[edit] A brief history

The dissident groups that formed under the faltering regime of Todor Zhivkov in the late 1980s were the basis for the Union and once Zhivkov fell a loose political confederation was envisioned, where constituent groups continued to work for their own cause, while the coordinating council included three members from each organization. Longtime dissident philosopher Zhelyu Zhelev, who would later become Bulgaria's President was elected chairman and Petar Beron, a well-known environmental scientist, was chosen as secretary.

The UDF lost the 1990 elections to the Bulgarian Socialist Party (reformed Communist), but still participated in the joint cabinet of Dimitar Iliev Popov (December 1990 - November 1991), and later formed its own cabinet with Prime Minister Filip Dimitrov in November 1991, only to last a little over a year as the government failed a motion of confidence in September 1992. The socialists, together with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms formed a coalition government headed by Prof. Lyuben Berov and then BSP went on to win the 1995 elections.

However, following discontent over economic problems, Prime Minister Zhan Videnov resigned at the end of 1996, clearing the way for new elections, this time won by the UDF with a crushing 55% vote. Party leader Ivan Kostov went on to form the new government and successfully carry on pressing economic reforms, eventually rewarded in December 1999 with an invitation to begin membership talks with the European Union. But painful reforms had their social cost and public discontent over increased unemployment and allegations of corruption led to the UDF's defeat in the June 2001 elections, won by the National Movement for Simeon II. It was part of the United Democratic Forces that won in these 2001 elections 18.2% of the popular vote and 51 out of 240 seats.

The UDF is currently chaired by Petar Stoyanov, former president of the country. Meanwhile, the former Prime Minister and party leader left the UDF went on to form his own party - Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria. At the last legislative elections, 25 June 2005, the United Democratic Forces won 8.4% of the popular vote and 20 out of 240 seats.