Bulgaria’s largest parliamentary group, the center-right GERB-SDS, has rejected the president’s request to attempt forming a new government, increasing the likelihood of early elections in the EU’s poorest member state.
The coalition government of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, backed by GERB-SDS, resigned last month following weeks of street protests against state corruption and a new budget that would have raised some taxes.
In line with the constitution, President Rumen Radev officially asked Zhelyazkov on Monday to try forming a new coalition, according to local news agency BTA.
However, Zhelyazkov immediately returned the mandate, citing insufficient parliamentary support to build a stable majority.
Radev is now expected to offer the mandate to the second-largest party, the reformist PP-DB, but it is also likely they may refuse.
If no party can secure a parliamentary majority, Radev will dissolve the parliament and call early elections, marking Bulgaria’s eighth elections in just four years.
Despite the political uncertainty, Bulgaria joined the eurozone on January 1 as planned. Yet, the country still needs political stability to accelerate the reception of EU funds for its crumbling infrastructure, attract foreign investment, and tackle endemic state corruption.
GERB-SDS had won the last elections in October 2024, but only took power in January 2025 after months of negotiations and required support from other parties in a fragmented legislature.
