"Mechanisms for selection and development of new politicians of the Left"

Project contractor: ISI

Implementation period: December 2006 - February 2007

Source of funding: "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation (FES)

The Forum addresses topics concerning the political elites and the challenges they are facing. Professor Jean-Michel de Waele, Director of the Center for Study of Political Life, Free University of Brussels, spoke on "Political elites in Europe", while "Political elites in Bulgaria" were presented by Dr. Zhivko Georgiev, Chairman of the Board of ISI.

On the following topics:

-          "How to overcome the crisis of confidence in the political elite"

-          "European systems of personnel and Party development"

-          "Programming and political actions in the German Social Democratic Party”

-          "The Left elites in Portugal”

-          "From former revolutionaries to new technocrats"

-          "The Left elites in Belgium and the preparation for their renewal”

-          "The project for a new System for  personnel work in the Bulgarian Socialist Party"

-          "Types of trainings and best practices",

reports were presented by: Dr. Tatiana Burudjieva, ISI, Sofia University "St. Kl. Ohridski”; Dr. Petya Georgieva, ISI, NBU; Hans Schumacher, Director of “Friedrich Ebert" Foundation, Bureau Sofia; Dr. Maria Antonia Pires de Almeida, Higher Institute of Social Sciences and Business Studies, Lisbon; Delphine Van Dahl , Socialist Party, Parliamentary advisor on European Affairs and a municipal councilor in Bertone; Dr. Valeri Jablyanov, ISI, Head of “Personnel work”, Supreme Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party; Ivelin Nikolov, Executive Director of ISI; Svetlana Lomeva, Director of the Bulgarian School for Policy at the Council of Europe and NBU.

During the final discussion, ideas for future cooperation were discussed.

Moderators of the Forum were Dr. Antoniy Todorov, lecturer at NBU and a member of the Program Committee of ISI; and Dr. Yuri Aslanov, Secretary of the Board of ISI and owner of “AFIS” agency.

The discussion was opened with introductory words by Sergey Stanishev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Supreme Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party.