The year 2025 entered Bulgaria’s political history as one marked by the collapse of a regular government under public pressure and by decisive steps toward eurozone membership, according to BTA. After a prolonged cycle of early parliamentary elections, a cabinet led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov was finally approved on January 16, securing 125 votes in favor and 114 against, with no abstentions. The government rested on the support of GERB, BSP-United Left, Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (later renamed the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, APS), and There Is Such a People (TISP). Opposition came from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WC–DB), Revival, DPS-New Beginning, and Morality, Unity, Honour (MECH). The cabinet formally took office after swearing an oath before the National Assembly.

A fragile majority and mounting pressure

The governing majority proved unstable from the outset. Several months into the mandate, ARF withdrew its backing, arguing that instead of dismantling what it described as the “Peevski model,” the government was entrenching it further. Over its 11 months in office, the Zhelyazkov cabinet faced six motions of no confidence. The first four were initiated by Vazrazhdane, MECh, and Velichie, while the final two came from CC–DB. Until early July, CC had refrained from supporting no-confidence votes, maintaining that Bulgaria should not be pushed away from its European path. This position shifted after July 8, when the decision for Bulgaria to adopt the euro on January 1, 2026, was finalized.

Protests, budget turmoil, and resignation

Public anger escalated sharply toward the end of the year, driven largely by the draft 2026 budget. The proposal included a two-percentage-point increase in pension insurance contributions and a doubling of the dividend tax from 5% to 10%. The first major protest against the draft budget took place in Sofia on November 26. Although the government promised revisions after talks with trade unions and employers, dissatisfaction continued. On December 1, thousands again demonstrated across the country, demanding the budget’s withdrawal.

Tensions peaked in early December. On December 11, just before the sixth vote of no confidence and following renewed mass protests, Zhelyazkov announced his resignation. The night before, large crowds filled central Sofia, including the area around the Council of Ministers, Parliament, and the Presidency, known as the “triangle of power.” Demonstrations were also held by Bulgarians abroad, notably in Brussels and Vienna, drawing international media attention from outlets such as Reuters and AFP. CC–DB organizers described the protests as a demand for the removal of a “puppet government” and the permanent exclusion of Boyko Borissov and Delyan Peevski from power.

President Rumen Radev publicly stated that resignation was unavoidable and that early elections were the only viable solution. In the wake of the protests, the draft laws for the state budget, the National Health Insurance Fund, and Public Social Insurance for 2026 were withdrawn.