However, under pressure from the opposition and at least one constitutional judge who claimed a second vote would be unconstitutional,[4] the Socialists admitted defeat and returned the exploratory mandate.

The leaders of the rightist parties then met with Simeon Sakskoburggotski, who would be next to receive a mandate from President Parvanov, to discuss a possible coalition.

Former Prime Ministers Stefan Sofiyanski (Bulgarian People's Union) and Ivan Kostov (Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria) refused to support the "King's Party" if they nominated their leader for a second term at the helm of cabinet.

[7] This move angered the hardline Democrats for Strong Bulgaria who broke off talks with the NDSV, driving the nail into the coffin that was the possibility of a center-right coalition government.

[9] Citing the "complicated political situation in the country" the NDSV decided not to exercise its right to nominate a prime minister-designate and try to form a government on August 11.

[11] Even though Parvanov consulted with all the parties, it was viewed that only the BSP, NDSV (having made a U-turn and was back working with the Socialists), MRF and BPU could form a coalition.

[12] After discussions wrapped up the President dealt the third mandate to the Movement for Rights and Freedoms who nominated Sergei Stanishev for Prime Minister.

[13] On January 1, 2007, during his term, the European Union accepted Bulgaria as a member, after several previous governments prepared the country's membership in this structure.

On 23 July 2008, the European Commission suspended interim payments under the Roads Fund on suspicion of a conflict of interest and the authorities' inability to fight corruption.

Their coalition partner, the NDSV, led by Bulgaria's former tsar and prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, won less than 4% of the votes and failed to get any seats in the National Assembly.

Despite the heavy loss of the elections and subsequent party scandals, Stanishev refused to resign and remained at the helm of the BSP.

Rumen Petkov resigned as Minister of Interior on April 13 after a scandal broke exposing links between him and his staff and suspected organized criminals.

[15] Radoslav Gaidarski, blamed for lagging reforms in the healthcare sector, was replaced by Evgeni Zhelev (BSP) as Minister of Health.

[15] The 2009 parliamentary election resulted in a victory for the new conservative party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria who won 117 seats.