Bulgaria is likely to hold new elections after the country’s largest parliamentary group, GERB–SDS, declined an offer from President Rumen Radev to form a government, the latest episode in a series of political crises in the EU’s poorest member state.
The caretaker government of Rosen Zhelyazkov, backed by GERB–SDS, resigned last month following weeks of street protests against corruption and the proposed national budget. Zhelyazkov immediately returned the mandate, saying he lacked sufficient parliamentary support to form a stable coalition.
Other parties are expected to also reject the mandate, after which Radev would be obliged to dissolve parliament and schedule early elections — the eighth in just four years.
GERB–SDS won the last general election in October 2024 and formed a government in January 2025. During its term, Bulgaria joined the eurozone on 1 January 2026.
Zhelyazkov said the government’s understanding was that elections should be held as soon as possible, suggesting 29 March as a “suitable date” for the vote. He emphasized that the return of the mandate was not a political retreat but a step to allow constitutional procedures to proceed.
“The past year, the government accomplished substantial work, meeting strategic goals despite the unpopularity of some measures,” Zhelyazkov said in a statement. “We aim to ensure stability and security while avoiding political polarization that could harm the country’s development and investment climate.”
Under Bulgaria’s constitution, if the first mandate fails, the president must offer a second mandate to the candidate of the second-largest parliamentary group — in this case, “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria.” If a majority cannot be formed, a third mandate may be assigned by the president. Should that also fail, the president dissolves parliament and appoints a caretaker government to oversee elections.
Political analysts warn that the prolonged crisis could affect Bulgaria’s reform agenda, absorption of EU funds, investor confidence, and institutional capacity at a sensitive moment as the country integrates into the eurozone.
President Radev formally handed the mandate to the GERB–SDS candidate on Monday. The party’s leader, Boyko Borisov, had announced on Friday that the mandate would be returned, signaling that GERB–SDS is distancing itself from attempts to form a new coalition under the current parliamentary configuration.
With no clear parliamentary majority, Bulgaria faces continued political instability, and the new elections are expected to further test the country’s ability to form durable governments.