Turkish Party in Bulgarian Parliament – the History and the Role of Movement for Rights and Freedoms in Protecting Turkish Minority Interests in Bulgaria

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the role of political party Movement for Rights and Freedoms in protecting the interests of Turkish and Muslim minorities in Bulgaria, and to present its role in contemporary Bulgarian politics. The article is divided into three parts: the first outlines the most important information about the demographics of Turks in Bulgaria and presents the most important events in relations between Bulgarian state and its Turkish minority after 1945. Second part describes the Movement for Rights and Freedoms: it’s foundation, controversies regarding its registration, party leaders across the years, electoral strategies used by party, examples of the movement’s activities aimed at improving the situation of representatives of the Turkish minority and the shifts in party’s leadership and structures, including the rift inside the party in 2024. The third, shortest by volume part is devoted to describe the controversies related to the party’s activities. The research methods used by the author in the work were the analysis of available sources, such as scientific studies, statistical data or press articles on the subject.