The analysis of parties created around charismatic leaders is becoming more important in dynamic times when the mainstream parties are challenged by outsiders. Most of the research on personalized parties focuses on Western Europe although the phenomenon has significant implications for East European party systems. This article examines the development of two highly electorally successful personalized parties in Bulgaria: National Movement Simeon the Second (NDSV) and Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), the incumbent ruling party. Their similar success but different paths of development provide a good basis for examining the stabilizing factors of personalized parties. The article fills a gap in the theoretical field by using information from qualitative interviews with high-level party members and proves that adoption of an organizational strategy is the key factor for survival. Examining a case of the emergence of personalized parties, the research finds that alongside charismatic leaders, investment in local branches and representation in localities are stabilizing factors when the popularity of the leader decreases and in this way secure the more stable development of the party.

在充满活力的时代，主流政党受到局外人的挑战时，围绕魅力型领导者建立的政党的分析变得越来越重要。尽管这种现象对东欧政党制度有重大影响，但大多数针对个性化政党的研究都集中在西欧。本文考察了保加利亚两个在选举中获得高度成功的个性化政党的发展：第二次国民革命运动（NDSV）和现任执政党保加利亚欧洲发展公民组织（GERB）。他们的类似成功，但发展道路不同，为检验个性化各方的稳定因素提供了良好的基础。这篇文章通过使用来自高层党员的定性访谈中的信息来填补理论领域的空白，并证明采用组织策略是生存的关键因素。考察个性化政党出现的一个案例，研究发现，与富有魅力的领导者一起，当领导者的声望下降时，对当地分支机构的投资和在当地的代表权也是稳定因素，从而确保了政党更稳定的发展。