Voters in Bulgaria cast their ballots on Sunday, marking the eighth parliamentary election in five tumultuous years for this EU member state. The Balkan country’s political landscape has been rocked by successive government failures, leaving citizens weary of the endless polls.
According to election authorities, 6.6 million registered voters participated in selecting 240 lawmakers from a field exceeding 4,700 candidates representing 14 parties, 10 coalitions, and one independent. Domestic polling ran from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., while overseas Bulgarians voted at stations in 55 nations worldwide.
Preliminary exit polls will drop right after polls close, with full results due on April 23. This early election stems from January’s collapsed third mandate attempt to build a coalition government.
Flashback to late 2024: Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s coalition, formed post-October elections and sworn in January 16, 2025, crumbled under economic policy protests and resigned in December. Parliament’s subsequent efforts to install a successor fell flat.
President Rumen Radev extended exploratory mandates to the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, which balked, followed by rejections from heavyweights GERB-UDF and PP-DB. Acting PM Andrey Gurov was named in February by President Illyana Lotova to steer the ship temporarily.
The National Assembly’s standard four-year tenure has been upended by these political impasses. Corruption allegations, inflation pressures, and disputes over judicial reforms have fueled the instability.
With high stakes, Sunday’s vote could reshape alliances. Will a clear majority emerge, or does Bulgaria risk extending its election marathon? Observers watch closely as the nation seeks a path to governance normalcy.
