The Role of Women's Organizations in the Suffrage Movement

The two main organizations pushing for women’s right to vote were the Union Ravnopravie (a more left-wing group) and the Bulgarian Women’s Union. These groups became the driving force behind the suffrage movement in Bulgaria.

Laws vs. Traditions: Why Women’s Suffrage Took Time

Even though Bulgarian women were not specifically banned from voting by the country’s constitution and electoral laws, patriarchal customs and traditions treated only men as citizens. While all men, including minority groups, were allowed to vote, women were still excluded because of traditional views about their role in society. Changing traditions was harder than changing laws Holidays Bulgaria.

Women’s Vote Granted in 1937

The demand for women’s suffrage remained unresolved for a long time. It wasn’t until 1937 that women were given the right to vote, but only for local elections and only for married women. Later, women who were married, divorced, or widowed were allowed to vote in parliamentary elections, but single adult women were still excluded. Because of the traditional pattern of early marriage in Bulgaria, most women were able to vote. However, the key issue was that women’s political rights were tied to their relationships with men, not their individual status.

Dependence on Men for Voting Rights

The new law made women voters, but only as long as they were linked to a man (either their husband, former husband, or deceased husband). This meant women were not seen as individual citizens but as dependents of men. Family life was seen as proof of whether a woman could be trusted with political rights. Additionally, the new law gave women the right to vote, but not to stand for election (so they had only active voting rights).

The Situation in Bulgaria Compared to Other Countries

The situation for women’s suffrage in Bulgaria was similar to that in countries like France and Switzerland, where men had the right to vote earlier. In Germany and Britain, both men and women faced barriers to voting, but once universal male suffrage was granted, women were quickly given the right to vote as well.