After holding seven elections in four years and being governed by technocratic governments for a long time, Bulgaria has opened the door to a new coalition government following the October 2024 elections. In the election where participation was below 40%, no party gained enough majority to govern alone. Coalition negotiations began shortly after.
The parliament’s 240 seats were filled by nine parties and alliances. The alliance between the main party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) and the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) gained one-quarter of the votes, leading the coalition talks. GERB, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, declared that it is open to coalition talks with all parties in parliament except the pro-Kremlin, Eurosceptic, populist Revival (Vazrazhdane) party, thereby increasing its chances of forming a government.
In the past two months, negotiations between parties reached a successful result. The coalition, formed under the leadership of the GERB-SDS alliance, includes the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and There Is Such a People (ITN). The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), whose voter base mainly consists of Turks and Muslims, and whose social base split into another political group during the last election, announced that it would support the coalition government from the outside, providing 19 seats to ensure the coalition government receives a vote of confidence and comes into existence.[1] Rosen Zhelyazkov, the candidate of the GERB-SDS alliance, became the head of the executive. Former jurist Zhelyazkov has previously held significant positions in the state such as Speaker of Parliament and Minister of Transport.
Discussions have already begun about whether the newly formed government will put an end to the months-long political instability. Many experts state that in a government involving such different political parties and alliances, it would not be surprising if disagreements arise in the long run.[2] An example of this is the fact that GERB and BSP, which have always been on opposing fronts in modern Bulgarian political history, have found themselves in the same government.
While GERB is known for its pro-EU stance, former Prime Minister Borisov and his party have been associated with numerous corruption scandals. The GERB-SDS alliance currently has 68 seats in the parliament. BSP, known for its closeness to Russia, resisted military aid to Ukraine within its coalition government in 2022. A BSP MP traveled to Russia in the fall of 2024 upon an invitation from the Moscow government. The party has expressed its skepticism about Bulgaria’s rapid efforts to join the Eurozone and its opposition to the Green Deal, which requires Bulgaria to shut down its coal-based energy resources.[3]
Finally, ITN is a party with a more conservative stance. Known for its harsh opposition to BSP, the party adopts a new right-wing ideology advocating for a free market economy and traditional family values. Bulgaria’s new coalition government is being referred to as a “Frankenstein coalition,” a term used to describe cases where highly diverse parties come together to form a government[4] Despite being formed under the shadow of corruption and bribery allegations and involving parties with vastly different policies, public acceptance of the coalition government has reached 60%. There is no significant public opinion against the coalition government, which is seen as a hope for filling the long-standing political vacuum.
The government faces a cautious but hopeful population. Public trust in the political institutions have been heavily damaged by allegations of politicians using EU funds for personal purposes, and election fraud that date back to 2020 but still keep their relevance. The Bulgarians, deeply uneasy with oligarchic and mafiatic structures, expect the new government to take serious measures. However, as seen in voter turnout rates, a majority of people have lost the hope for a meaningful change even when different governments are elected.[5]
It is a matter of debate if this broad new coalition government, which brings together centrist, leftist, and populist political views, will or will not lead to significant changes in Bulgaria or cause any shift in the country’s pro-Western orientation[6] The election fatigue in the public and trust-eroding developments in domestic politics raise questions about whether the country will achieve political stability. Despite all this, there is currently no widespread opposition to the newly formed government. Time will tell whether the government will succeed or there will be early elections again in the near future.
[1] “Bulgaristan’daki Türk partisi hükümet krizinde nasıl rol oynadı?”, Timebalkan, https://timebalkan.com/bulgaristandaki-turk-partisi-hukumet-krizinde-nasil-rol-oynadi/, (Accessed: 25.01.2025).
[2] “Bulgaristan’daki Türk partisi yeni hükümette yer alacak”, Timebalkan, https://timebalkan.com/bulgaristandaki-turk-partisi-yeni-hukumette-yer-alacak/, (Accessed: 25.01.2025).
[3] “Pro-Russian socialists eye decisive role in Bulgarian government”, Euroactiv, https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/pro-russian-socialists-eye-decisive-role-in-bulgarian-government/, (Accessed: 25.01.2025).
[4] “Bulgaria’s GERB Party Tries to Cobble Together ‘Frankenstein’ Ruling Coalition”, BalkanInsight,https://balkaninsight.com/2025/01/15/bulgarias-gerb-party-tries-to-cobble-together-frankenstein-ruling-coalition/, (Accessed: 25.01.2025).
[5] “With A New Government, Many Bulgarians Fear A Return To The Past”, RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty, https://www.rferl.org/a/new-bulgarian-government-borisov-zhelyazkov/33278235.html, (Accessed: 25.11.2025).
[6] “Bulgaria breaks political stalemate and finally appoints new PM”, Politico, https://www.politico.eu/article/bulgaria-new-prime-minister-rosen-zhelyazkov/, (Accessed: 25.01.2025).
