site.btaUPDATED President to Hand First Cabinet-Forming Mandate to GERB-UDF

President Rumen Radev on Monday will hand the first mandate to form a Cabinet to GERB-UDF, the largest parliamentary group in the 51st National Assembly, Radev's press secretariat said on Friday.

GERB-UDF will return the mandate unfulfilled as soon as it receives it from the President, the group's floor leader and GERB leader Boyko Borissov said also that day.

On December 11, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov tendered the Cabinet's resignation following nationwide protests against the 2026 budget bill and corruption.

Under the Bulgarian Constitution, when a government resigns, it does not stop functioning. The Prime Minister submits the resignation of the Council of Ministers to the National Assembly, which adopts a formal resolution accepting it. The outgoing cabinet continues to perform its functions until a new regular cabinet is elected or a caretaker one appointed.

The Constitution does not set a time limit after the government's resignation within which the President of the Republic must begin consultations with the parliamentary groups and hand out cabinet-forming mandates to their prime ministers-designate, starting with the largest group. If the first two attempts fail, a third mandate goes to a parliamentary group of the President’s choosing. Should all three mandates be unsuccessful, the head of State is obliged to appoint a caretaker cabinet and schedule early parliamentary elections within two months. The National Assembly continues to function until a new legislature is elected and sworn in.

The pool of potential caretaker prime ministers from which the President may choose is limited to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the President or a Vice-President of the National Audit Office, and the National Ombudsman or a Deputy Ombudsman.

Radev held consultations with the parliamentary groups on December 15-19.

GERB-UDF called on the President to set a date for elections and to take part in them with his own political project, arguing that he has often been involved in the creation of political projects.

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria said that forming a new government within this Parliament is impossible and highly undesirable.

Vazrazhdane expressed the view that "the sooner new elections are held, the better".

MRF-New Beginning said recent events had shown clearly that this Parliament has come to the end of its real political life.

BSP-United Left said the immaturity of the political system and party egoism had led to the government losing its legitimacy.

There Is Such a People argued that in the current political situation, it would not be reasonable to seek a new reconfiguration of governance.

The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms said that forming a cabinet within the present Parliament was practically impossible.

The MECh party stated that it has no intention of engaging in any format within this Parliament.

The Velichie party said this National Assembly is absolutely illegitimate.