The interim chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Atanas Zafirov has been elected its leader, BGNES reported.
Zafirov defeated Borislav Gutsanov on the ballot. The ballot came after a total of seven people entered the battle for party leader from the initial total of 17. After the first round of the election of the chairman of the National Council of the BSP, Atanas Zafirov received 307 votes, Borislav Gutsanov - 293 votes, Kaloyan Pargov - 101 votes, Hristian Vigenin - 83 votes. 29 delegates voted for Boris Tsvetkov, 17 for Boyan Balev and two for Rusi Statkov.
The 51st Congress of BSP made changes in the party's statute. They concern the abolition of the direct election, which led to the BSP leader being elected by the delegates of the congress.
Atanas Zafirov was born in Burgas in 1971 and graduated in history at the University of Veliko Tarnovo. He first became a BSP deputy in the 42nd National Assembly and was re-elected in all subsequent parliaments until today's 51st, with the exception of the 44th. 
In 2008, he became a member of the National Council of BSP, and at the 50th Congress in 2020, he was elected Deputy Chairman. In June 2024, after the resignation of Kornelia Ninova, he became interim chairman of BSP. On 16 January 2025, he was elected Deputy Prime Minister in Rosen Zhelyazkov' cabinet. I BGNES