Radical nationalism in contemporary Bulgaria

Abstract

The striking electoral success of the Ataka party in 2005 and 2009 challenges the scholarly analysis and the political decision-making alike. Do really extreme right wing ideology and policies have fertile ground in Bulgaria? If yes, why is this the case and to what extent? Combining historical and social-structural approaches, the author concludes that the appearance of the Ataka party and its success have been well prepared by the specifics of the post-communist transformation in the country. But the future presence of organizationally isolated extreme right nationalism on the Bulgarian political scene should not be taken for granted. All major political formations have already included nationalist rhetoric in their platforms. Therefore, in a variety of forms radical nationalism will stay on the Bulgarian political scene like in most other Eastern European societies.