Bulgarian government
On January 15, 1938, Bulgarian women achieved the legal entitlement to cast their votes, marking the culmination of a protracted and intricate journey towards women’s suffrage within the nation. The initial step was taken in 1909 with the enactment of the Public Education Act, which afforded women the right to serve on school boards for the first time, although they were not allowed to participate in elections. This formal and limited concession failed to yield tangible results, as men predominantly continued to favor male candidates for trustee positions, barring women from the ballot box.
In 1937, a partial victory was achieved when “women mothers of legal marriage” were granted the right to vote in local elections, although they remained ineligible for candidacy. Ultimately, on January 15, 1938, Bulgarian women gained the legal right to vote in parliamentary elections, albeit restricted to women over the age of 21 who were either married, divorced, or widowed. This restriction was overtly clear, excluding young, educated, single women, many of whom were pursuing studies abroad or established as intellectuals, from the electoral process.
It wasn’t until 1944 that women in Bulgaria obtained equal suffrage, and in 1945, during the 26th National Assembly session, the first 16 women were elected as deputies.