Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Bulgarian Government Resigns Ahead of No-Confidence Vote After Mass Protests

President Rumen Radev will consult parties on forming a successor government.

A drone view shows protesters demonstrating outside the parliament during an anti-government rally, in Sofia, Bulgaria, December 10, 2025. REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva
A drone view shows protesters demonstrating outside the parliament during an anti-government rally, in Sofia, Bulgaria, December 10, 2025. REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva
A drone view shows protesters demonstrating outside the parliament during an anti-government rally, in Sofia, Bulgaria, December 10, 2025. REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva
A drone view shows protesters demonstrating outside the parliament during an anti-government rally, in Sofia, Bulgaria, December 10, 2025. REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva

Overview

  • Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced the cabinet’s resignation minutes before a scheduled no-confidence vote after weeks of demonstrations.
  • Ministers will stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new cabinet is elected, with the president initiating coalition talks that could lead to an interim administration if efforts fail.
  • Tens of thousands rallied in Sofia and other cities demanding action against corruption, with protesters targeting figures such as Delyan Peevski and former prime minister Boyko Borissov.
  • The unrest was triggered by a 2026 draft budget calculated in euros that proposed higher taxes and social-security contributions, which the government has since withdrawn.
  • Bulgaria remains set to adopt the euro on January 1, 2026, with officials and reporting indicating the timetable is unchanged despite the resignation.