View source for Movement for Rights and Freedoms


{{Short description|Bulgarian political party}}
{{About|the former political party in Bulgaria|the Italian former political party|Rights and Freedom|the political party in Turkey|Rights and Freedoms Party}}
{{Multiple issues|{{cleanup rewrite|date=April 2017}}
{{update|date=April 2017}}}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Movement for Rights and Freedoms
| native_name      = {{Nobold|{{lang|bg|Движение за права и свободи}}}}
| logo             = Logo of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.svg
| leader2_title    = Leader
| leader2_name     = [[Delyan Peevski]] (disputed)
| colorcode        = {{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}
| abbreviation     = DPS
| chairperson      = 
| founded          = {{start date|1990|01|04|df=y}}
| national         = [[DPS – A New Beginning]] (disputed){{efn|name=Disputed by APS|Disputed by [[Alliance for Rights and Freedoms|APS]]}}
| headquarters     = 45A Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd., [[Sofia]]
| youth_wing       = Youth movement for rights and freedoms
| membership_year  = 2018
| membership       = {{decrease}} 40,000<ref name="24chasa">{{cite news|url=https://www.24chasa.bg/novini/article/6996938|title=БСП и ГЕРБ вече почти равни по брой членове|trans-title=BSP and GERB now almost even in membership|newspaper=24 Chasa|date=6 August 2018|access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref>
| ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap|
 |[[Liberalism]]{{refn|<ref>{{Citation |first=Alfio |last=Cerami |title=Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe: The Emergence of a New European Welfare Regime |publisher=Lit verlag |year=2006 |page=26}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |first=Plamen |last=Pantev |title=Bulgaria |work=NATO at 60 |publisher=IOS Press |year=2010 |page=70}}</ref>}}
}}
| position         =
| regional         = None<br>'''Formerly:'''<br>[[Liberal South East European Network]] (2008–2024)
| european         = [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]] (2005–2024)
| international    = [[Liberal International]] (2003–2024)
| europarl         = [[Non-attached members|Non-Inscrits]] (since 2024){{refn|group=nb|The party was formerly part of the [[ALDE Group]] (2007–2019) and [[Renew Europe]] (2019–2024)}}
| dissolved        = 
| colors           = {{colour box|{{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}} Blue
| seats1_title     = [[National Assembly (Bulgaria)|National Assembly]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|29|240|{{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| seats2_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats2           = {{Infobox political party/seats|2|17|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| seats3_title     = [[Municipalities of Bulgaria|Municipalities]]
| seats3           = {{Infobox political party/seats|48|265|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| website          = {{Official URL}}<br/>{{url|https://dpsbg.eu/}}
| country          = Bulgaria
}}
The '''Movement for Rights and Freedoms''' ({{langx|bg|Движение за права и свободи}} ''Dvizhenie za prava i svobodi'', ДПС, '''DPS'''; {{langx|tr|Hak ve Özgürlükler Hareketi}}, '''HÖH'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dps.bg/tr/ |website=HÖH Bulgaristan - Başlangıç |access-date=27 April 2024 |title=HÖH Bulgaristan - Başlangıç }}</ref>) is a [[List of political parties in Bulgaria|political party in Bulgaria]] with a support base among ethnic [[Demographics of Bulgaria|minority communities]]. Until 2024 it was a member of the [[Liberal International]] and the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]] (ALDE).<ref>{{Cite web |title=ALDE Party Bureau Recommends Expulsion of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) |url=https://www.aldeparty.eu/alde_party_bureau_recommends_expulsion_of_the_movement_for_rights_and_freedoms_mrf?fbclid=IwY2xjawHVZeFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSSHNRTy3QYlc9giHvhbPoYdJ6XDgnv0YB67pex-xJgx6cv5YIIrduXYRw_aem__AWr1iUGe9gRzrE0OhpNfg |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=ALDE Party |language=en}}</ref> While representing the interests of [[Islam in Bulgaria|Muslims]], especially [[Turks in Bulgaria|Turks]] and to a lesser extent [[Pomaks]] (Muslim [[Bulgarians]]), the party also receives the largest share of [[Romani people in Bulgaria|Romani]] votes.

==History==
[[File:Ahmed-dogan-yenal-bekir.jpg|260px|thumb|right|[[Ahmed Dogan]] (left) at the foundation conference]]
The party was officially established in 1990, with its founder [[Ahmed Dogan]] serving as its leader until 2013. On 19 January 2013, [[Lyutvi Mestan|Lyutfi Mestan]] was elected as the second chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=147022 |title=Mestan Succeeds Dogan as Bulgarian Ethnic Turkish Party Leader after Assassination Attempt | publisher=Novinite |date=2013-01-19 |access-date=2013-01-20}}</ref> Mestan was removed from power by the insistence of Dogan for declaring support for Turkey for [[2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown|shooting down a Russian military jet in 2015]]. This led Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] to blacklist Ahmed Dogan and ban him from entering Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.24chasa.bg/Article/5295260|title=Турция забрани на Ахмед Доган и Пеевски да влизат на територията й (обзор)}}</ref> Mestan formed his own party, named [[Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance]].

Following a leadership dispute prior to the [[October 2024 Bulgarian parliamentary election|October 2024]] elections, party members split into two separate electoral coalitions: [[Alliance for Rights and Freedoms]] (loyalists to [[Ahmed Dogan]], led by [[Dzhevdet Chakarov]]), and [[DPS – A New Beginning]] (led by [[Delyan Peevski]]).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-02 |title=ЦИК прие заявленията на ДПС-Пеевски и ДПС-Доган едновременно |url=https://www.svobodnaevropa.bg/a/peevski-zayalvnie-izbori-tsik/33102290.html |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Свободна Европа |language=bg}}</ref> After the faction led by Peevski was recognized to be the legitimate DPS by the [[Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria]], the faction led by Dogan split, changed their name and registered without claiming DPS to be a member of the alliance.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Алианс за права и свободи": Румен Йончев от името на лоялните на Доган регистрира коалиция без ДПС |url=https://epicenter.bg/article/-quot-Alians-za-prava-i-svobodi-quot--Loyalnite-na-Dogan-podadoha-dokumenti-za-registratsiya-na-koalitsiya-bez-DPS/360592/2/0 |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=epicenter.bg |language=bg}}</ref>{{Verification needed|date=October 2024}} Peevski has since been ruled as being the sole leader of the DPS and removed Dogan as the honorary president.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-12-22 |title=Кулминацията на войната в ДПС: Пеевски стана единствен председател и детронира Доган |url=https://www.dnevnik.bg/politika/2024/12/22/4721408_kulminaciiata_na_voinata_delian_peevski_se_gotvi/?to=4721848 |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=Dnevnik |language=bg}}</ref> In May 2025, Chakarov, following legal pressure,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Capital.bg |date=2025-05-27 |title=Джевдет Чакъров "се предаде" на Пеевски след повдигнати обвинения на сина му |url=https://www.capital.bg/politika_i_ikonomika/bulgaria/2025/05/27/4787184_djevdet_chakurov_se_predade_na_peevski_sled_povdignati/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.capital.bg |language=bg}}</ref> officially stepped down his claim to be leader of the DPS, and became an independent MP, leaving the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Официално: Джевдет Чакъров вече не е част от групата на ДПС-Доган |url=https://www.24chasa.bg/bulgaria/article/20594092 |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.24chasa.bg |language=en}}</ref>

==Election results==
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2013}}
Starting in 1990 as the first political party of the Turkish minority participating in the parliamentary elections, in the first [[1990 Bulgarian Constitutional Assembly election|elections in 1990]] after the end of the communist regime, which the Turks of the country had boycotted, the party won 6.0% of the popular vote and 24 out of 400 seats and became the fourth largest party in the parliament. In the [[1991 Bulgarian parliamentary election|parliamentary elections in 1991]] it won 7.6% of the vote and remained with 24 seats in а 240-seater parliament. In the [[1994 Bulgarian parliamentary election|elections in 1994]] it won 5.4% of the vote and its seats decreased to 15. In the [[1997 Bulgarian parliamentary election|elections in 1997]] it won 7.6% of the vote and 19 out of 240 seats. From 2001 to 2009, the party was part of the government, first in a coalition with the [[National Movement for Stability and Progress|National Movement Simeon II]] (NDSV) party and then with the [[Bulgarian Socialist Party]] (BSP). The party had ministers in the [[Sakskoburggotski Government]], [[Stanishev Government]] and [[Oresharski Government]] (2013-2014).

It won in the [[2001 Bulgarian parliamentary election|elections in 2001]] 7.5% of the vote and 21 out of 240 seats. Subsequently, for the first time the party joined a [[coalition government]], which was led by the winner of the elections ([[NDSV]]). Under the control of the party were two out of the 17 [[Government of Bulgaria|Bulgarian ministries]] – the [[Ministry of Agriculture and Food (Bulgaria)|Ministry of Agriculture and Forests]] and the [[Minister without portfolio]], the other 15 remained under the control of senior coalition partner NDSV. At the [[2005 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2005 elections]] it increased to 12.8% of vote and 34 out of 240 seats and was kept in power as a part of the coalition led by the [[Bulgarian Socialist Party]] (BSP) and [[National Movement for Stability and Progress|National Movement Simeon II]] (NDSV) party. The ministries under the control of the Movement of Rights and Freedoms increased to three out of 18.

At the [[2009 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2009 elections]] it increased to 14.0% of vote and 38 out of 240 seats. Following the election, the government was totally occupied by the decisive winner, the [[Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria]] (GERB) party and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms was еxcluded from the government and remained in opposition after having been part of coalition governments for the two consecutive preceding terms between 2001 and 2009. At the [[2009 European Parliament election in Bulgaria|2009 European Parliament elections]] the party won 14.1% of the vote and three [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]] out of Bulgaria's total representation of 18. Two of the MEPs are [[Turks in Bulgaria|ethnic Turks]] ([[Filiz Husmenova]] and [[Metin Kazak]]) and one ([[Vladko Panayotov]]) is [[Bulgarians|ethnic Bulgarian]].

In the [[2013 Bulgarian parliamentary election|Bulgarian parliamentary election in 2013]], the Movement for Rights and Freedoms decreased to 11.3% of the vote; it took 36 seats and remained the third biggest party. The DPS won the elections abroad with 41.3% and the most polling stations and voters in a foreign country were in Turkey.

The DPS won four MEPs in the [[2014 European Parliament election]]s.

===National Assembly===
[[File:Map Bulgaria parliamentary election 2014 votes MRF.svg|thumb|right|250px|Percentage of votes for MRF by electoral districts in the 2014 parliamentary elections]]
[[File:DPS.png|thumb|Map showing performance of MRF at the [[2015 Bulgarian local elections]].]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Election
! Leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Government
|-
! [[1990 Bulgarian Constitutional Assembly election|1990]]
| rowspan="8" | [[Ahmed Dogan]]
| 491,596
| 8.03 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|23|400|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 23
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[1991 Bulgarian parliamentary election|1991]]
| rowspan="2" |418,168
| rowspan="2" |7.6 (#3)
| rowspan="2" |{{Composition bar|24|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| rowspan="2" |{{increase}} 1
| {{ya|text=Support}} (1991-1992)
|-
|{{yes2|Coalition}} (1992-1994)
|-
! [[1994 Bulgarian parliamentary election|1994]]
| 283,094
| 5.44 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|15|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{decrease}} 9
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1997 Bulgarian parliamentary election|1997]]
| 323,429
| 7.6 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|19|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2001 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2001]]{{efn|As DPS-Liberal Union-[[Euroroma]].}}
| 340,395
| 7.45 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|21|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2005 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2005]]
| 467,400
| 12.81 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|34|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 13
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2009 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2009]]
| 610,521
| 14.45 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|38|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2013 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2013]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Lyutvi Mestan]]
| 400,466
| 11.31 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|36|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2014 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2014]]
| 487,134
| 14.84 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|38|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2017 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2017]]
| rowspan="6" | [[Mustafa Karadayi]]
| 315,976
| 8.99 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|26|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{decrease}} 12
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[April 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election|Apr 2021]]
| 336,306
| 10.51 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|30|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{partial2|Snap election}}
|-
! [[July 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election|Jul 2021]]
| 292,514
| 10.71 (#5)
| {{Composition bar|29|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{partial2|Snap election}}
|-
! [[2021 Bulgarian general election|Nov 2021]]
| 340,997
| 12.83 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|34|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 5
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2022 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2022]]
| 344,625
| 13.76 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|36|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{partial2|Snap election}}
|-
! [[2023 Bulgarian parliamentary election|2023]]
| 347,700
| 13.18 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|36|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{no change}} 0
| {{ya|text=Support}}
|-
! [[June 2024 Bulgarian parliamentary election|Jun 2024]]
| [[Delyan Peevski]]<br />[[Dzhevdet Chakarov]]
| 366,310
| 16.56 (#2)
| {{Composition bar|47|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 11
| {{partial2|Snap election}}
|-
! rowspan="2"| [[October 2024 Bulgarian parliamentary election|Oct 2024]]{{efn|name=Disputed by APS}}
| rowspan="2"| [[Delyan Peevski]]
| rowspan="2"| 281,356
| rowspan="2"| 11.17 (#4)
| rowspan="2"| {{Composition bar|30|240|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| rowspan="2"| {{decrease}} 17
| {{no2|Opposition}} (Jan-Mar 2025)
|-
| {{ya|text=Support}} (since Mar 2025)
|-
|}

===European Parliament===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Election
! List leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! EP Group
|-
! [[2007 European Parliament election in Bulgaria|2007]]
| rowspan=3 |[[Filiz Husmenova]]
| 392,650
| 20.26 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|4|18|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| New
| rowspan=3 |[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|ALDE]]
|-
! [[2009 European Parliament election in Bulgaria|2009]]
| 364,197
| 14.14 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|3|18|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in Bulgaria|2014]]
| 386,725
| 17.27 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|4|17|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! [[2019 European Parliament election in Bulgaria|2019]]
| [[Mustafa Karadayi]]
| 323,510
| 16.55 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|3|17|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| rowspan=2 |[[Renew Europe|RE]]
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in Bulgaria|2024]]
| [[Dzhevdet Chakarov]]
| 295,092
| 14.66 (#2)
| {{Composition bar|3|17|hex={{party color|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|}

==Controversies==

===Ethnic nature===

On 8 October 1991, ninety-three members of Bulgaria's National Assembly&nbsp;— virtually all of them affiliated with the former Communist Party&nbsp;— asked the  [[constitution]]al court to declare the DPS unconstitutional citing article 11.4 of the constitution which explicitly bans political parties "formed on ethnic, racial, and religious basis".<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.parliament.bg/?page=const&lng=en
|title=Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria
|publisher=www.parliament.bg
|access-date=2009-03-21
}}
</ref> On 21 April 1992, the court rejected the petition and affirmed the constitutionality of the DPS.<ref>
{{cite journal
|title=History, Politics and the Constitution: Ethnic Conflict and Constitutional Adjudication in Postcommunist Bulgaria
|journal=Slavic Review
|volume=63
|issue=1
|pages=66–89
|jstor = 1520270|last1 = Ganev|first1 = Venelin I.|year=2004
|doi=10.2307/1520270
|s2cid=155528182
}}
</ref>

Even though the DPS has been legally a part of Bulgarian political life since then, some Bulgarian nationalists, particularly the [[far-right politics|far-right]] [[Attack (political party)|National Union Attack]], continue to assert that it is anti-constitutional because it consists mainly of ethnic Turks. However, the statute of the DPS states that it "is an independent public and political organization, founded with the purpose of contributing to the unity of all Bulgarian citizens".<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://dps.bg/cgi-bin/e-cms/vis/vis.pl?s=001&p=0413&n=000004&g=
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429195146/http://www.dps.bg/cgi-bin/e-cms/vis/vis.pl?s=001&p=0413&n=000004&g=
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=2009-04-29
|title=Statute of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms
|publisher=dps.bg
|access-date=2009-03-21
}} 
</ref>

Additionally, supporters of DPS argue that banning parties on the basis of their ethnic composition constitutes an instance of ethnic discrimination and is in contravention to European law, the [[Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities]] in particular to which Bulgaria is a signatory. Furthermore, despite a similar constitutional ban, religious parties, such as the [[Bulgarian Christian Coalition]] have competed for parliamentary elections since 1997, and again in 2005, without any political upheaval.

More recently, Antonina Zheliazkova, head of the Centre for Interethnic Relations in Sofia, praised Ahmed Dogan by stating that "He has been working hard to open up the party to all citizens and has encouraged the DPS's supporters to be free to vote for non-ethnic parties".<ref name='novinite'>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=47790
|title=Bulgaria: Turkish Party Urged to Rethink Policies* - Novinite.com&nbsp;— Sofia News Agency
|publisher=www.novinite.com
|access-date=2009-03-21
}}
</ref>

===Other Turkish political factions===
At present{{When|date=March 2023}} there are three other tiny Turkish political factions that oppose the DPS's politics. These groups&nbsp;— which united to form the Balkan Democratic League&nbsp;— are the Movement of the Democratic Wing (DDK), led by Osman Oktay; the Party for Democracy and Justice (PDS), led by Nedim Gencev; and the Union of the Bulgarian Turks (SBT), led by Seyhan Türkkan.<ref name='novinite'/>

However, these movements, as well as the National Movement for Rights and Freedoms, member of a Social-Democratic coalition ('Rose coalition') failed to secure any elected representative in the parliament.  A party founded in 2011 by members who left the party and headed by [[Korman Ismailov]]&mdash;[[People's Party Freedom and Dignity]], gained 1.5% of the vote in a coalition with [[National Movement for Stability and Progress|National Movement Simeon II]] (NDSV) and therefore did not cross the 4% threshold to enter the parliament.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.cik.bg/pi2013/rezultati/index.html|title=Резултати :: Избори за народни представители 2013|website=results.cik.bg}}</ref> This party was part of the [[Reformist Bloc]] and crossed the threshold and entered the parliament and the government in 2014, but only with one Deputy Minister that was removed. Another political fraction [[Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance|DOST]] founded by the former leader Mestan, had 17,000 registered members in 2016, which were obtained only for about one year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trafficnews.bg/news.php?id=57373|title=Лютви Местан в Пловдив: Ще подкрепим кандидат за президент-ярък натовец|website=Traffic News}}</ref> If so, the members of the Movement of Rights and Freedoms must have dropped in numbers.

===Alleged manipulation of votes===

The DPS was severely criticized by the Bulgarian ultra-nationalist party Attack as well as mainstream right-wing political parties such as [[Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria]] (DSB) and the [[Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria)|Union of Democratic Forces]] (SDS) and even by DPS coalition partners of the [[National Movement for Stability and Progress|National Movement Simeon II]] for allegedly manipulating the vote in the June 2005 elections in some places by bringing Bulgarian citizens of Turkish origin living in Turkey to vote in the elections.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}} However, allegations of ethnic Turks coming to vote in Bulgaria at their permanent address and then returning to Turkey to vote with their passports, could not be "verified or confirmed" by international observers, whose assessment on the election was that it was free and fair.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2005/11/16836_en.pdf|title=Page not found - OSCE|website=www.osce.org|access-date=8 October 2007|archive-date=4 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304160221/http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2005/11/16836_en.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Opposing privatization on ethnic grounds===
In February 2005, the DPS opposed the privatisation of Bulgaria's largest tobacco company, [[Bulgartabac]], which was backed by the government and the European Union, on the grounds that the industry traditionally employs ethnic Turks. The resulting crisis led to the resignation of vice premier [[Lydia Shouleva]].<ref name='novinite'/>

=== Delyan Peevski ===
{{Main|Delyan Peevski}}
Delyan Peevski is "a highly controversial figure in Bulgarian politics, business and media." He has served several terms of office in Bulgaria's Parliament as a DPS MP. He was placed under US sanctions for corruption through the [[Magnitsky Act]] mechanism in May 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-sanctions-us-peevski-boshkov-zhelyazkov-corruptiion/31287870.html |title= U.S. Places Sanctions On Bulgarian Power Broker, Gambling Tycoon, Citing Influence Peddling|newspaper= Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date= 4 June 2021|last1= Prince|first1= Todd}}</ref> He even served as head of the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security for one day, "but after mass protests broke out in the streets was forced to hand in his resignation."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bnr.bg/en/post/100673145/smoke-billowing-from-delyan-peevskis-business-empire|title=Smoke billowing from Delyan Peevski's business empire|access-date=2017-06-14|language=en}}</ref>
Peevski served as MP from the parliamentary group of the DPS in the 41st, 42nd, 43r, 44th, 47th and 48th National Assembly of Bulgaria and is currently serving as MP in the 49th National Assembly, where his  legislative efforts are focused mainly on the judicial reform, Bulgaria's support for Ukraine and enforcement of the EU sanctions against Russia.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.parliament.bg/en/MP/4162 | title=Parliament.bg }}</ref> On October 16, 2023, he became co-chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of DPS.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bta.bg/en/news/546886-peevski-joins-karadayi-as-co-chair-of-movement-for-rights-and-freedoms | title=Peevski Joins Karadayi as Co-Floor Leader of Movement for Rights and Freedoms }}</ref>

== European representation ==
In the [[European Parliament]], Movement for Rights and Freedoms sits in the [[Renew Europe]] group with three MEPs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Atidzhe ALIEVA-VELI {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197848/ATIDZHE_ALIEVA-VELI/home|access-date=2021-03-04|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=18 September 1981 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Ilhan KYUCHYUK {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/124866/ILHAN_KYUCHYUK/home|access-date=2021-03-04|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=16 September 1985 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Iskra MIHAYLOVA {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/125128/ISKRA_MIHAYLOVA/home|access-date=2021-03-04|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=7 September 1957 |language=en}}</ref>

In the [[European Committee of the Regions]], Movement for Rights and Freedoms sits in the [[Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions|Renew Europe CoR group]] with two full and two alternate members for the 2020-2025 mandate.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members Page CoR|url=https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=mem&language=en&country=BG&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1614872029534}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Members page CoR|url=https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=alt&language=en&country=BG&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1614872021741}}</ref> Nedzhmi Ali is member of the Renew Europe CoR Bureau.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bureau|url=https://reneweurope-cor.eu/bureau/|access-date=2021-04-15|website=Renew Europe CoR|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{notelist}}

==See also==
*[[Political machine]]
*[[List of liberal parties]]
*[[Political parties of minorities]]
*[[Liberalism and radicalism in Bulgaria]]
*[[Turks in Bulgaria]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Movement for Rights and Freedoms}}
*{{Official website|http://www.dps.bg/}}

{{Renew Europe}}
{{Bulgarian political parties}}
{{ELDR member parties}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party member parties]]
[[Category:Bulgarian Turks]]
[[Category:Full member parties of the Liberal International|Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Kemalist political parties]]
[[Category:Liberal parties in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Political parties of minorities]]
[[Category:Turkish political parties]]