Bulgaria’s foreign minister to form the next government in power-sharing deal

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) —

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Monday tapped the largest group in parliament, the center-right GERB-UDF coalition, to form the country’s new government.

Radev handed the mandate to Maria Gabriel, the prime minister-designate under a power-sharing deal by the two main political parties, according to which each would hold the top job for nine months at a time.

Earlier this month, Nikolay Denkov of the reformist coalition led by “We Continue the Change,” stepped down after his nine months as prime minister, paving the way for Gabriel, a former European Commissioner who served as deputy head of Denkov’s government and foreign minister.

The two parties agreed to share power after elections last year in a bid to end a two-and-a-half-year-long political crisis, restore stability and spur economic development in the poorest member country of the European Union.

Accepting the mandate, Gabriel said that she does it “with a sense of responsibility as Bulgaria needs stability.” It was also announced that she would keep the foreign minister portfolio in the new government, which analysts see as a guarantee that Bulgaria will remain on its pro-Western track.

Gabriel has seven days to nominate a cabinet, which needs to be approved by a majority in parliament.

Following last year’s election, GERB has 69 seats in the 240-seat parliament, while the reformist bloc has 63.

Gabriel, 43, a member of the European Parliament since 2009, was EU commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth. She is also the first vice chair of the European People’s Party.