‘Don’t Feed the Pig’: The Anti-Corruption Call That Helped Topple a Government

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by Carlotta GallDecember 15, 2025 at 02:54 PM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

Mass protests in Bulgaria, triggered by a controversial budget that raised taxes and increased state security salaries, led to the government's collapse in December 2025. Demonstrators, using the slogan "Don't Feed the Pig" to symbolize anti-corruption, saw the budget as a power grab at the expense of ordinary citizens. The protests, fueled by widespread outrage over graft, drew participants from diverse segments of society across the country. The size of the demonstrations surprised even organizers, reaching tens of thousands and spreading to various cities. The opposition coalition, We Continue the Change — Democratic Bulgaria, aims to capitalize on this momentum in upcoming elections expected in March.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Emily Yordanova 60% Sofia ×470% Bulgaria ×680%

Keywords

bulgaria 100% anti-corruption 90% protests 80% government toppled 70% demonstrations 70% power grab 60% corruption allegations 60% budget 50% tax increase 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Bulgaria

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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bulgaria anti-corruption protests government toppled demonstrations power grab corruption allegations budget tax increase

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