May Day Demonstration in Sofia

Several thousand turned out for the traditional May Day demonstration in central Sofia.

Old woman in the crowd of demonstrators, shaking her fist during a speach.

Socialist Party official giving instructions to the demonstrators marching through central Sofia

Socialist party leader Sergey Stanichev on the podium in front of an election poster

Two women protecting themselves with an umbrella from the scorching heat during the Labor Day demonstration

Demonstrators chanting slogans during the Labor Day march through central Sofia

Little girl behind a bodyguard looking up to a speaker on the podium.

(Image Copyright by Johann Brandstätter/JB Photography)

Obviously the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the ex-communists, still appeal to a lot of people despite the fact that party leader Sergey Stanichev did not too great during his term as prime minister from 2005 to 2009.

According to the latest polls, the BSP is trailing the party of recently stepped-down prime minister Boyko Borisov by only about 6 percent. In short, the two parties that ruled Bulgaria during the last eight years, led the country into an economic downward spiral and permitted the de facto free reign of organized crime, are now the main contenders for yet another term in office.

When it comes to elections, people in many countries tend to have short memories, but Bulgarians seem to suffer full-blown amnesia.

Early elections for the Bulgarian parliament are scheduled for 12 May, after the government collectively handed in its resignation in the wake of week-long protests against corruption and miserable living standards at the beginning of the year.