United Patriots

United Patriots
Обединени Патриоти
AbbreviationOP
SpokespersonKrasimir Karakachanov
Valeri Simeonov
Founded28 July 2016
Dissolved5 February 2021[1]
Preceded byPatriotic Front
Succeeded byPatriotic Coalition Volya–NFSB
Bulgarian Patriots[2]
HeadquartersSofia
IdeologyBulgarian nationalism
National conservatism
Social conservatism
Right-wing populism
Protectionism
Soft Euroscepticism
Anti-communism
Political positionRight-wing to far-right[3][4]
ReligionBulgarian Orthodox Church
European Parliament groupEuropean Conservatives and Reformists
Member partiesVMRO
NFSB
Attack (until 25 July 2019)
Colours      White, Green, Red (Bulgarian national colours)
Website
obedinenipatrioti.com

The United Patriots (OP; Bulgarian: Обединени Патриоти; ОП, romanizedObedineni Patrioti; OP) was a nationalist electoral alliance in Bulgaria formed by three political parties: VMRO, Attack (until 25 July 2019), and the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB).

The coalition between the three parties was created by the agreement put forward a joint candidacy for the 2016 presidential election. The coalition's candidates for president and vice president were the then Deputy Chairmen of the National Assembly Krasimir Karakachanov (for President) and Yavor Notev (for Vice President).[5]

On July 25, 2019, Volen Siderov, Desislav Chukolov and Pavel Shopov were expelled from the parliamentary group.

The coalition was part of the Third Borisov Government. All parties in the coalition were defeated in the 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election and failed to gain any seats in the National Assembly.

Electoral history[edit]

Karakachanov for President
Election # of total votes (1st round) % of popular vote (1st round) rank (1st round) # of total votes (2nd round) % of popular vote (2nd round) rank (2nd round)
2016 573,016 14.97 3rd - - -
Bulgarian Parliament
Election # of seats won # of total votes % of popular vote rank Government
2017
27 / 240
318,513 9.07 3rd

GERB-OP

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Коалиция "Обединени патриоти" прекрати съществуването си".
  2. ^ "Ultra-nationalists, populists form 'Bulgarian Patriots' alliance for July elections". 20 May 2021.
  3. ^ "EU country briefing: Bulgaria". EURACTIV. 18 April 2019. Since May 2017, GERB governs together with a coalition of far-right nationalist parties (United Patriots).
  4. ^ "Bulgaria's Parliament gives final approval to cutting state subsidies for political parties". Independent Balkan News Agency. 4 July 2019. Within the ruling majority – the coalition between GERB and the far-right United Patriots – two parties from the latter formation voted against the amendments: Valeri Simeonov's National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria and Deputy Prime Minister Krassimir Karakachanov's VMRO. The third of the United Patriots' parties, Volen Siderov's Ataka, voted in favour.
  5. ^ "Каракачанов и Нотев - "патриотичната двойка" за "Дондуков" 2". 29 July 2016.