Overview
- Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced the minority coalition’s resignation minutes before a scheduled no-confidence vote.
- Tens of thousands rallied across Bulgaria, including a massive, peaceful crowd in Sofia, demanding an end to corruption and calling for the cabinet to step down.
- The unrest was sparked by a fast-tracked 2026 budget drafted in euros; the government withdrew the original plan and tabled a revised draft delaying contribution increases.
- Protesters also targeted perceived oligarchic influence, particularly that of sanctioned politician Delyan Peevski, and President Rumen Radev publicly backed the demonstrations.
- If coalition talks fail, the constitution provides for an interim cabinet and snap elections, adding uncertainty weeks before Bulgaria’s scheduled entry into the eurozone.