Women cast their votes at a polling station during the country's parliamentary election in Sofia, Bulgaria, on July 11, 2021. (NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV / AFP)
SOFIA – Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has signed a decree on the holding of parliamentary election on Nov 14, his press office said in a statement on Monday.
Radev dissolved, through the same decree, the National Assembly with effect from Thursday, according to the statement.
The election will be the third parliamentary poll this year, and falls on the same day as the presidential election
Radev made the move after the six parties in the parliament failed to form a new cabinet after the July 11 election.
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The election will be the third parliamentary poll this year. Bulgarians went to the polls for the first time on April 4, after a four-year rule by a coalition government dominated by the GERB party. However, the parties didn't elect a government, and the early elections were held on July 11 – but with the same outcome.
Bulgaria will also hold the presidential election on Nov 14. The poll was scheduled by the parliament in accordance with the country's Constitution as Radev's term will expire at the end of January 2022.
The National Assembly is Bulgaria's legislative body. It also elects the government by a simple majority, and has a four-year term – except in certain circumstances such as when it is unable to elect a government.
READ MORE: Deadlock pushes Bulgaria closer to its third poll this year
The president is the head of state, and is elected directly by the people for a period of five years.
