with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary that parties label themselves as a liberal party.
Background
Liberalism was a dominant political force at the end of the nineteenth century. The current got strongly divided.
History
After the restoration of democracy in 1990, some parties got a liberal character.
Liberalism is now represented by the mainly Turkish minority party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (Dviženie za prava i svobodi, observer LI, member ELDR), the National Movement for Simeon II (Nacionalno Dviženie Simeon Vtori, member LI, ELDR) and Democratic Bulgaria (Demokratichna Balgariya), both taking a more or less liberal position.
From Liberal Party to Democratic Party
1879: Liberal forces united in the Liberal Party (Liberalna Partija)[1]
1884: A right-wing faction formed the ⇒ Progressive Liberal Party
1886: Another right-wing faction formed the ⇒ People's Liberal Party
1887: A third faction formed the ⇒ Radoslav Liberal Party
1896: The party is renamed into Democratic Party (Demokratičeska Partija)
1905: A radical faction seceded as the ⇒ Radical Democratic Party
Radoslavist Liberal Party / National Liberal Party
1887: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Liberal Party formed the
Radoslav Liberal Party
(Liberalna-Radoslavistka Partija)
1904: A right-wing faction seceded as the ⇒ Tonchevist Young Liberal Party
1920: The party merged with the ⇒ Tonchevist Young Liberal Party and the ⇒ People's Liberal Party into the National Liberal Party (Nacionalliberalna Partija)
1934: The party is banned by the dictatorship
Tonchevist Young Liberal Party
1904: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Radoslav Liberal Party seceded as the Tonchevist Young Liberal Party (Mladoliberalna Partija-Tončevisti)
1990s: The party took part in various electoral alliances with decreasing success
Movement for Rights and Freedoms
1990: Representatives of the Turkish minority formed the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (Dviženie za Prava i Svobodi), that develops in a more or less liberal direction
National Movement for Simeon II
2001: Followers of the ex-king formed the personalist National Movement for Simeon II (Nacionalno Dviženie Simeon Vtori), that takes a more or less liberal position in the spectrum
2006: GERB split from NDSV, which adopted more conservative position than NDSV.
2009: The conservative SDS, DSB, the social democratic Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, the agrarian United Agrarians and ⇒ Radical Democratic Party formed the centre-right Blue Coalition, leading to a series of centre-right coalitions which take a more or less liberal position in the spectrum.
2021: BZNS, KOD, Republicans dor Bulgaria and European Middle Class (SEK) for National Union of the Right (NOD). SEK leaves to join We Continue the Change.
2023: We Continue the Change, SEK, DSB, Yes Bulgaria, BZNS, United Agrarians, as well as the green parties Volt and Green Movement form the PP-DB coalition.
2023: Regional liberal organization „Save Sofia (Spasi Sofia)“ officially becomes a party and runs in a coalition with PP-DB.
2023: Unity (Единение) splits from We Continue the Change.[2]