By Nikita Billier
Bulgaria will hold snap parliamentary elections on 19 April after the governing coalition collapsed in December 2025 and major parties failed to form a new cabinet. This will be the country’s eighth parliamentary vote in five years, highlighting ongoing institutional instability. All 240 National Assembly seats are at stake. The elections follow weeks of mass protests over corruption, economic mismanagement and the proposed 2026 budget. President Iliana Iotova is overseeing the transition, with Andrey Gyurov leading the caretaker government and reaffirming Bulgaria’s EU and democratic commitment, in contrast to former President Radev’s euroscepticism.
Backdrop
Bulgarian politics remain unstable. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned in early December 2025 amid mass protests against the 2026 draft budget and allegations of corruption, economic mismanagement and oligarchic influence. The adoption of the euro on 1 January, making Bulgaria the 21st eurozone member, has not eased tensions.
Efforts to form a new government failed as GERB–UDF, the largest bloc, and other major factions declined the mandate, highlighting deep fragmentation in the 51st National Assembly. With no viable majority, the country moved toward new elections. In a historic move, President Rumen Radev resigned on 19 January. He was the first Bulgarian head of state to do so in the post-communist era. Vice President Iliana Iotova assumed presidential duties.
Radev has announced his candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections. He is formally entering party politics after years of speculation. He frames his decision as responding to public demands to end entrenched corruption, drawing support from anti-graft protests that toppled the government in December 2025. Radev is a US-trained former air force general and long-standing critic of oligarchic networks. He has higher approval ratings than most political leaders and is well-positioned to attract Bulgaria’s growing anti-elite electorate.
His candidacy is polarising. Supporters see him as a strong anti-corruption figure. Critics accuse him of promoting pro-Russian narratives, opposing military aid to Ukraine, EU sanctions on Moscow and the EU’s climate and trade agendas. Recent polls indicate up to 40 percent of voters prefer leadership by a new party and a Radev-led movement could attract about half of this group, potentially reshaping the political landscape.
Public frustration remains high. Demonstrations demanding electronic voting and transparent elections reflect mistrust of political institutions. Although inflation is easing, it continues to strain households. Iotova has emphasised the need for urgent measures to protect vulnerable citizens.
Projected outcome and political implications
The snap election will occur amid significant political fragmentation, with no guarantee of a stable majority. Radev’s entry introduces a major factor: his prospective party could attract nationalist, anti-corruption and eurosceptic voters, potentially reshaping alignments and complicating coalition formation.
Disputes over the presidency’s reduced powers under the 2023 constitutional amendments will continue to affect the institutional environment. With no cohesive majority and a new political force emerging, protracted negotiations or another short-lived coalition are likely. Instability may delay key policy decisions on EU funding, governance reforms and Bulgaria’s stance on Russia and Ukraine. Further protests may occur if the electoral process or its results are perceived as unfair or unrepresentative.