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Stanishev remains Socialist leader despite election disaster
Oct 18, 2009, 20:12 GMT
Sofia - Bulgarian Socialists on Sunday reelected the country's former premier Sergey Stanishev as the party leader, despite a catastrophic defeat in July elections that swept him from power.
Stanishev dismissed calls from left-wing rivals to resign and easily defeated them after a surprise challenge to a vote for the leadership which he surprisingly pushed through at the congress. The election of the party president had not been on the congress agenda.
The 43-year-old Stanishev had led the three-way coalition through a full term between 2005 and 2009, ushering Bulgaria to the European Union in 2007.
In July elections his alliance paid the harsh price for a series of corruption scandals, which prompted the EU into blocking 1 billion dollars in development aid to its new member.
Stanishev was succeeded as premier by Boiko Borisov, the leader of the new conservative GERB party, a former Sofia mayor and top police official.
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