Middle European Class

{{Citation style|date=October 2021}}{{Infobox political party

| name = Middle European Class

| native_name = Средна Европейска Класа

| native_name_lang = bg

| logo = Logo of the Middle European Class.png

| logo_size = 175px

| colorcode = {{party color|Middle European Class}}

| abbreviation = SEC

| leader = Konstantin Bachiyski

| president = Ivan Ivanov

| founder = Georgi Manev

| headquarters = Bulair 8, Burgas

| founded = {{Start date|2007|7|11|df=yes}}

| ideology = Economic liberalism
Burgas regionalism{{Cite report|url=https://riskmonitor.bg/js/tiny_mce/plugins/ajaxfilemanager/upload/Reports/RM-05-MayorsOnLease_EN.pdf|title=Mayors on Lease: Vote-buying at Local Elections in Bulgaria|last1=Tzoneva|first1=Antoaneta|last2=Georgiev|first2=Svetoslav|date=2010|publisher=RiskMonitor Foundation|pages=17|isbn=978-954-2914-02-0|access-date=31 October 2021}}
Pro-Europeanism

| position = Centre-right{{Cite web|url=https://europeelects.eu/bulgaria/|title=Bulgaria}}

| colours = {{color box|{{party color|Middle European Class}}|border=darkgray}} Blue
{{color box|#F3C12C|border=darkgray}} Yellow

| seats1_title = National Assembly

| national = United Patriots (2017–2020)
National Union of the Right (July 2021)
We Continue the Change (2021-2024){{Cite web |title=Лидерът на "Средна европейска класа": Ще се явим на вота с ПП |url=https://dariknews.bg/novini/bylgariia/lideryt-na-sredna-evropejska-klasa-shte-se-iavim-na-vota-s-pp-2320659 |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=dariknews.bg |date=10 August 2022 |language=bg}}{{Cite web |title=Партията на Бачийски напуска коалицията ПП-ДБ|url=https://www.mediapool.bg/partiyata-na-bachiyski-napuska-koalitsiyata-pp-db-news358539.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=mediapool.bg |date=23 April 2024|language=bg}}

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|1|240|hex={{party color|Middle European Class}}}}

| website = {{url|https://cek.bg/}}

| country = Bulgaria

}}

The Middle European Class ({{langx|bg|Средна европейска класа|Sredna evropejska klasa}}; SEC/SEK), sometimes translated as Average European Class, is a political party in Bulgaria established by nightclub owner{{Cite web|title=Георги Манев - властелинът на мисълта|url=https://www.24chasa.bg/Article/139247|access-date=2021-12-15|website=www.24chasa.bg|date=22 May 2009 }} Georgi Manev. It is currently led by Konstantin Bachiiski.

Electoral participation

= Parliamentary elections =

== 2017 ==

In the 2017 parliamentary election, the party was part of the ultra nationalists electoral alliance United Patriots with IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement, National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria and Attack.{{Cite web|url=https://bnr.bg/burgas/post/100797030/pp-sredna-evropeiska-klasa-preminava-kam-obedeneni-patrioti|title=ПП "Средна европейска класа" преминава към "Обеденени патриоти"|website=bnr.bg}} SEC failed to secure any seats, but United Patriots entered a coalition with GERB to form the Third Borisov Government. In July 2020 SEC withdrew from United Patriots.{{Cite web|url=https://bnr.bg/burgas/post/101310056/sek-skasa-v-nacionalen-plan-s-koalicionnoto-sporazumenie-s-obedineni-patrioti|title=СЕК скъса в национален план с коалиционното споразумение с "Обединени патриоти"|website=bnr.bg}}

== April 2021 ==

SEC entered a new coalition with far-right political party IMRO{{Cite web|title=СЕК подкрепя ВМРО, влиза в листите им|url=https://www.faragency.bg/news/16142518232803/sek-podkrepya-vmro-vliza-v-listite-im|access-date=2021-12-15|website=Черноморски фар - новини от Бургас и региона|language=bg}} but on 17 February 2021 the Central Election Commission did not approve "Middle European Class" for participation in the April 2021 parliamentary election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.burgasnovinite.bg/2021/02/blog-post_293.html|title=ЦИК е отказала регистрацията на партия "Средна европейска класа" на Георги Манев и на още няколко партии}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cik.bg/bg/decisions/2097/2021-02-17|title=Централна избирателна комисия|website=www.cik.bg}} The reason given was "unsealed documents, lack of signature of the party representative and other documentary failures."

== July 2021 ==

On 6 June 2021 SEC was again not approved for participation in the July 2021 parliamentary election but party members became part of Petar Moskov's "National Union of the Right" electoral coalition.{{Cite web|url=https://bnr.bg/horizont/post/101478993/cik-zalichi-registraciata-na-koalicia-sredna-evropeiska-klasa|title=ЦИК заличи регистрацията на коалиция "Средна европейска класа"|website=bnr.bg}}

== November 2021 ==

On 17 September 2021 Georgi Manev stepped down as leader of the party and retired from politics. Konstantin Bachiiski became party leader and on 19 September 2021 the party and Volt Bulgaria announced the electoral coalition We Continue the Change{{Cite web|title="Волт" и "Средна европейска класа" правят коалиция "Продължаваме промяната" {{!}} Вестник "ДУМА"|url=https://duma.bg/%E2%80%9Evolt%E2%80%9C-i-%E2%80%9Esredna-evropeyska-klasa%E2%80%9C-pravyat-koalitsiya-%E2%80%9Eprodalzhavame-promyanata%E2%80%9C-n245239|access-date=2021-12-15|website=duma.bg|date=20 September 2021 }} led by Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev, former caretaker ministers. In the November 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary еlection We Continue the Change came in first place with 67 seats.{{Cite web|title=Резултати :: Избори за президент и вицепрезидент и народни представители 14 ноември 2021|url=https://results.cik.bg/pvrns2021/tur1/rezultati/index.html|access-date=2021-12-15|website=results.cik.bg}} It formed a broad coalition between BSP, ITN and DB and was given the mandate to form a government on 13 December 2021. SEK had 4 seats in the National Assembly. After ITN withdrew from the government in June 2022, a snap election was called.

April 2024

On 23 April 2024 the party leader, Konstantin Bachiiski announced to the public that SEK would be leaving the We Continue the Change coalition, this is a little after the Greens did the same.{{Cite web |title=Партия "Средна европейска класа" напуска ПП-ДБ |url=https://www.24chasa.bg/bulgaria/article/17713955 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=www.24chasa.bg |language=en}}

References

External links

(bg) {{Official website|cek.bg}}

Category:Political parties in Bulgaria