A Bulgarian far-right party has emerged victorious following the country’s parliamentary elections last Sunday, securing 7% of the popular vote.
The Ataka party, meaning “Attack” in Bulgarian currently holds a key position to dictate terms for the formation of Bulgaria’s next ruling coalition, after the winning GERB party did not gain enough seats in the Parliament to form a government on its own.
Ataka’s success is attributed largely to the vote of the poor and disenfranchised, who are frustrated with the country’s weak economy.
“Espousing a mix of populist and fiery nationalistic policies, Ataka has branded foreign companies operating in Bulgaria ‘robbers’, called for the re-nationalization of some sectors of the economy and has vilified Bulgaria’s sizeable Romany community,” reported Scotsman.com.
According to reports, Ataka party members wear shirts with swastikas and make Nazi salutes at rallies.
Ataka’s success follows the rise of the Golden Dawn neo-Nazi party in neighboring Greece, and Jobbik in Hungary—both of which espouse neo-Nazi ideologies imbued with anti-Semitism and a desire for “racial purity.”