A Democracy in Fatigue: Why Bulgaria Has Faced Eight Elections in Five Years

Since the collapse of Soviet domination in 1990, Bulgaria has followed an arduous and draining route towards capitalism and alignment with the West. Yet, throughout its history, the ideal of democracy within Europe has all too often been marred by corruption, a potent oligarchy, and an unstable political system of coalitions. Today, in 2026, Bulgaria is at a pivotal point in its history, fatigued by five years of deadlock in elections and democracy.

Figure 1: Bulgarian Dictator Todor Jivkov,  PAP/EPA Post-Soviet Birth Pains

The beginning of Bulgaria’s transformation from socialism to democracy was the "elite coup" within the BCP, which led to the overthrow of the dictator Todor Zhivkov in November 1989. While Bulgaria’s transition did not resemble those that happened in other Balkan states due to their violence, the country still faced severe economic problems during that period.

The decade of the 1990s is known for "wild privatization," when the former secret services personnel and future oligarchs became new owners of the state-owned properties. This period ended with the devastating crash of the economy in 1996-1997; it entailed hyperinflation in the amount of 311%, which occurred in February 1997, and bankruptcy in banking. A particularly painful experience of that transformation is connected with the "Process of Rebirth." The oppression of the Turkish population carried out by the BCP caused "the Big Excursion"  300,000 to 360,000 Bulgarian Turks migrated to Turkey. The mass departure of the Turkish population contributed to the country’s loss of educated people who were important for agriculture and industry.

The Millennium: The Tsar and the Marshal

With the beginning of the millennium, there occurred an unusual but beneficial change. In 2001, the Tsar of Bulgaria, who was dismissed when he was a child in 1944, became Prime Minister. During his rule, the foundation for becoming a member of the EU (which happened in 2007) and NATO (2004) was laid.

But with the rise of Boyko Borisov, former police marshal and the bodyguard for Zhivkov and the Tsar as well, came the age of GERB which Borisov established in 2006. Although GERB managed to ensure GDP growth and strengthened relations with the EU, it was at the same time blamed for creating conditions for "state capture."

Figure 2: Former Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borisov,  VISAR KRYEZIU / AP

2021 Protests and the “Eight Dwarfs”

By 2020 and 2021, popular anger had boiled over. In the "Eight Dwarfs" affair -an elaborate extortion case entangling the judiciary and corporate elites – Bulgarians found a perfect example of how a captured state worked. Demonstrators flooded the streets calling for Borisov and Geshev’s resignation.

Parties of Change

As a result of the inconclusive April 2021 elections, President Rumen Radev (a retired Air Force general) began actively participating in politics. He created a caretaker government headed by Stefan Yanev that became an important platform for several ministers, later becoming a major player in the country's politics. The close victory of the ITN party (65 seats compared to GERB's 64) during the July 2021 elections, caused by the lack of willingness of the GERB party to cooperate with other opposition parties and their unwillingness to join forces, led to another defeat in forming a new government. However, by the time of the third round of elections in November 2021, the public attention switched to two stars of the Stefan Yanev government, Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev. With the formation of their new anti-corruption party We Continue the Change (PP), these Harvard educated politicians gathered 67 seats, creating a coalition with ITN, Democratic Bulgaria, and BSP.

Nevertheless, this achievement became the beginning of a long period of political deadlock rather than a decisive remedy to the issue. The government under Petkov was challenged almost right away by the invasion of Russia into Ukraine, revealing major ideological divides; internal divisions were manifested by the dismissal of the Minister of Defense Yanev, due to using terminology similar to the Kremlin’s, as well as by the threat to resign from the coalition due to possible support of Kyiv in the form of military supplies. In spite of all those internal divisions, Bulgaria became one of the leaders in supporting EU sanctions, which led to retaliation on the part of Gazprom and the termination of the export of gas to Bulgaria.

Figure 3: Bulgarian People Protesting, CTTO: Gettyimages

GERB's Reassertion

Although the October 2022 elections pointed to a remarkable come-back for GERB, with PP dropping to 54 seats, the Bulgarian Parliament was still effectively deadlocked by the caretaker administration of Galab Donev. The situation persisted for another six months until April 2023, when the election created an extremely tight race for power between GERB with 69 seats and PP with 64 seats, thus necessitating one of the most shocking deals ever. In particular, the "rotational" deal led to the appointment of Nikolai Denkov (PP) as prime minister for the nine-month period.

Nevertheless, the so-called "unholy alliance" ended up crumbling in March 2024 amid the succession of Mariya Gabriel (GERB) after the previous term expired. The deadlock emerged when Gabriel announced that she would propose a cabinet without any consultations with the coalition parties, thus violating the agreements made before. As a result, the June 2024 snap election resulted in a sharp decline of influence of both PP-DB, getting below 40 seats and splitting in half among oligarch Delyan Peevski and honorary chairman Ahmed Dogan of DPS.

"Gen Z Protest" and the Crisis in 2025

Following the elections that were held in October 2024, the GERB managed to form a government through the support of BSP, ITN, and APS (subsequently replaced by DPS)

The political deadlock reached its lowest point at the end of 2025 due to the attempts of the government to pass the budget of 2026, whichimplied raising of taxes and social security. The rise of Gen Z protests was a direct consequence of these actions taken by the Zhelyazkov government, and the protest was organized by young Bulgarians who felt that their future was sold out.

The Gen Z Protests brought together more than 100,000 protesters from Sofia and other cities, thus forcing the resignation of the government and the holding of elections on April 19, 2026

The Radev Move

In an effort to break out of the deadlock, Rumen Radev left his position as President of Bulgaria and formed a new political party called Progressive Bulgaria (PB). A former Air Force General has been introduced as “the strong hand” that will help eradicate corruption in the country. 

Even though Radev has positioned himself as a champion of the people against the 'captured state,' his geopolitical posturing regarding Russia has raised concerns. This has prompted observers to ask whether he is destined to become the 'second Viktor Orbán': a potential outlier within the EU and NATO who prioritizes national populist interests over Western solidarity.

Figure 3: Rumen Radev, EPA/BORISLAV TROSHEV.

A New Chapter 

The results of the elections held on April 19, 2026, seem to signify an end to a protracted period of political turmoil. The political party of President Rumen Radev, Progresivna Balgaria, secured a parliamentary majority, with 131 seats, enough for forming a government. No such majority existed in Bulgaria since the adoption of democratic values. Although the Radev era will bring political stability in the country, some vital issues remain open-ended: "Will Bulgaria become a supporter of Russia?" and "Will the country move towards illiberal democracy?"

Time will show whether the predictions become reality; nevertheless, one thing is certain – the Bulgarian population clearly showed their position during voting after a period of extensive protests on the streets. It was an explicit message for politicians who have lost connection with their voters and could not resolve the existing political impasse. Nonetheless, amidst such political turmoil, powerful personalities such as President Radev might pose a danger to the democratic state. They might become a catalyst for a new wave of "state capture."

In his address, the outgoing president and future prime minister confirmed his willingness to cooperate with pro-European parties, including PP, in reforming the justice system.

Conclusion

The situation in Bulgaria is a clear illustration of how the mechanisms of democracy may fail when the basis is undermined. In Bulgaria, there was a time when the "biggest party" in the country consisted of people who did not participate in voting; however, the elections on April 19, 2026, showed a considerable increase in voter participation – the highest turnout reached 48.5%.

The presence of oligarchs' influence and the fragmentation of political parties made Bulgarians particularly susceptible to populism. The elections in 2026 willnot only be an attempt to restore the functioning democracy but also a trial of Bulgarian democracy in general. It remains unclear if Bulgaria will find the strength to stay democratic and stable, despite all the weaknesses, or it will become a guided democracy because of the promise of stability.

Bibliography 

Anadolu Agency. (2026, April 20). Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria wins election with 44.6% votes, preliminary results show. https://aa.com.tr/en/europe/rumen-radev-s-progressive-bulgaria-wins-election-with-446-votes-preliminary-results-show/3912305

Donmez, B. B. (2026, April 20). Progressive Bulgaria heading for election victory with 45.3%, parallel count shows. Anadolu Agency. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/progressive-bulgaria-heading-for-election-victory-with-453-parallel-count-shows/3911677

France 24. (2026, April 20). Bulgaria's former President Radev takes strong lead in election [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJR9RBEQobE

IEU Monitoring. (2026, April 20). Bulgaria shifts to unitary governance as Radev secures majority. https://ieu-monitoring.com/editorial/bulgaria-shifts-to-unitary-governance-as-radev-secures-majority/1066571

International IDEA. (2025, December 11). Bulgaria: Largest anti-corruption protests in decades trigger PM resignation. The Global State of Democracy. https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/country/bulgaria

Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF). (2020, September). “The Eight Dwarfs”: The facts, legal analysis, conclusions, and appeals to the institutions. https://acf.bg/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Eight_Dwarfs_Analysis_EN_A4_12pages.pdf

China-CEE Institute. (2024, March 14). Bulgaria political briefing: A new large-scale scheme for corruption and influence peddling in the Bulgarian judicial system. https://china-cee.eu/2024/03/14/bulgaria-political-briefing-a-new-large-scale-scheme-for-corruption-and-influence-peddling-in-the-bulgarian-judicial-system/