Bulgaria's Political Crisis Deepens as Reformist Party Declines Coalition Formation

Bulgaria's political landscape faces uncertainty as the reformist PP-DB party declines to form a new government. President Rumen Radev will likely call a snap election, marking the country's eighth in four years. Despite the turmoil, Bulgaria joined the euro zone, needing stability for economic progress.

Bulgaria's political crisis has intensified after the reformist PP-DB party, the country's second-largest parliamentary group, declined President Rumen Radev's request to establish a new government. This development increases the possibility of a snap election, the eighth that Bulgaria might face in just four years, highlighting ongoing instability in the European Union's poorest member state.

The current turmoil began when Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's coalition government, supported by GERB-SDS, resigned last month amid nationwide protests against rampant state corruption and a controversial new budget proposal that included tax hikes. Subsequently, the conservative GERB-SDS also refused the mandate to form the government, setting the stage for another party to take on the challenge.

Amidst the political uncertainty, Bulgaria successfully joined the euro zone on January 1, as planned. However, the nation urgently needs stable governance to effectively leverage EU funds for its deteriorating infrastructure, attract foreign investment, and combat systemic corruption. While GERB-SDS emerged victorious in the October 2024 election, their power was only realized in January 2025 after prolonged negotiations and the necessity for broader political support.

(With inputs from agencies.)