Bulgarien: Mehr Demokratie durch Online-Wahlen?
Bulgaria: Enhancing Democracy through E-Voting?

Summary/Abstract: With the local elections on 25 October 2015 Bulgarian citizens also decided on the introduction of remote electronic voting (“E-voting”). A vast majority of roughly 70 percent opted for the opportunity to cast their votes in future national elections and referenda via the Internet. However, the turnout was too low for a binding decision. Therefore, the parliament will have the final say on the subject matter. Bulgaria’s President Rosen Plevneliev originally also intended to ask the citizens to decide on a mixed election system and the introduction of compulsory voting. Yet, the parliament refused to submit these two issues to the citizens. Against the background of the long-lasting crisis of the Bulgarian democracy, the article analyzes the history and the results of the referendum and discusses the chances and risks of the original three reform proposals.

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