In the previous article exploring the historical origins of Bulgaria’s political apathy, I looked at how repeated cycles of political violence combined with undemocratic structures systematically undermined Bulgaria’s democratic political culture. Building on the first article about the Ottoman and immediate post-Ottoman period, it’s clear that Bulgarian political apathy doesn’t have a single origin. Looking back for literal centuries, each subsequent period largely reinforced the political culture one that preceded it.
Considering this long history, it’s hardly surprising that Bulgaria struggled to develop a thriving liberal democratic culture after 1991. But it’s worth delving into the factors at play in some greater detail to help understand what we can do to help encourage a liberal, democratic, and European future for the country today.
The first is the fact that the post-communist period saw massive emigration. But more than Bulgarians leaving, the issue was the type of Bulgarians who left: younger, better-educated, hard-working, and optimistic people who set out to embark on the difficult task of building a life in a new place. This is a generalization of course, but studies have found that people who emigrate tend to be more open to new things and extroverted, precisely the kinds of people who can help foster a more open and democratic society.
Then there’s the systematic corruption and lack of a proper truth and reconciliation commission. The policy failures of the early 1990s soured many people’s perceptions of democracy from the very beginning. While there was a brief period of greater success in the late 90s, the subsequent failure of the Tsar Simeon’s government to live up to expectations in the 2000s further eroded the faith and political optimism many had.
The period around Bulgaria joining the EU in 2007 saw renewed optimism but the subsequent financial crisis created significant strain. It was in this era that the country saw the rise of Boiko Borrisov’s GERB party on a pro-European and anti-corruption platform. In the subsequent decades, that party has largely defined the Bulgarian political landscape.
As it evolved, that party began to offer a deeply cynical message that has helped drive “whatsthepointism” in Bulgaria: we will provide stability at the expense of corruption. Amidst the turmoil of the 2008 financial crisis, the 2015 migrant crisis, and even the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, this deeply cynical offer has been quite compelling for many. After all, generation after generation of Bulgarian citizens has been taught not to expect more.
A jaded electorate who has no faith in any political parties, movements, or individuals, can easily feel this is a fair trade. All politicians steal, goes the rationale, at least we can get some stability out of it. Of course the same politicians promising stability do absolutely everything in their power to create instability anywhere they do not rule in a manner that resembles the mafia more than a political party.
However in recent years, there has been significant backlash to GERB and the model it represents, but it can often feel like an unequal fight. It’s far easier for GERB and its allies to sabotage and undermine any attempts to build a functioning government and society without it than it is for their opponents to build such a society. Cities or towns that vote out GERB rule often see leaders imprisoned, funding cut, city services undermined, etc.
Honestly, looking at Bulgaria’s post-communist history reminds me a great deal of its late 19th and early 20th century history. In both periods, the country rarely seems to have sufficient time to catch its breath and enjoy the kind of prosperity and stability that’s so crucial for building a robust liberal and democratic society.
Today, Bulgaria faces elections yet again. It is becoming harder and harder to see how a government might be formed. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t hope, far from it. As cliche as it may sound, this might be a “darkest before the dawn” kind of situation. More and more Bulgarians are returning from abroad and bringing with them new ideas, optimism, and a belief that the old cynical and corrupt political models are unacceptable. New generations are growing up without the same baggage as their parents.
That alone hasn’t been enough to significantly shift the political landscape and make a genuine progressive and anti-corruption government feasible. But it’s a start. Overcoming centuries of incredibly difficult circumstances that have worked to keep Bulgarians politically apathetic isn’t going to happen in a day, a year, or even a decade. But those of us who love this country dearly must all remember that it’s a goal worth waiting, and fighting, for.