Bulgaria set for another snap election after protests oust government

President Radev expected to appoint caretaker cabinet, set a date for vote.Published On 16 Jan 2026Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has said the country will hold early elections after leading parties refused a mandate to replace the last government, which resigned amid widespread protests.The announcement on Friday came after the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms became the third party to reject the president’s invitation to form a government. Bulgaria has been racked by political instability for several years, with numerous governments proving unable to muster the support or unity necessary to survive.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Which countries will start using the euro in 2026?list 2 of 3Bulgaria set to adopt the euro – why is this causing controversy?list 3 of 3All the big elections to look out for in 2026end of list“We’re headed for elections,” President Rumen Radev said from the presidential palace in Sofia.Three attempts at forming an administration are required under the constitution before a snap vote can be called.Radev will now appoint a caretaker cabinet and set a date for the next election.Bulgaria has held seven national elections in the past four years – most recently in October 2024 – amid deep political and social divisions.The latest political crisis was set off when Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced the resignation of his cabinet on December 11, minutes before parliament had been due to vote on a no-confidence motion.Zhelyazkov resigned after weeks of street protests against endemic state corruption and a planned 2026 budget that would have increased social security contributions and some taxes in a bid to plug state financing shortfalls.His exit triggered a constitutional process which saw both the centre-right GERB-SDS and the second-largest parliamentary grouping, the reformist PP-DB, reject Radev’s invitation to set up a ruling coalition this week.