site.btaGERB-UDF Returns First Cabinet-Forming Mandate, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria to Get Second One Soon

Outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov returned a mandate to form a new Cabinet on behalf of GERB-UDF immediately after receiving it from President Rumen Radev on Monday.

Radev said he would mandate the second-largest parliamentary group, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), to form a government "in the coming days". On January 10, Ivaylo Mirchev MP of CC-DB said that they will return the mandate immediately.

Returning the mandate, Zhelyazkov said: "We believe March 29 is a good date for holding the elections." He said GERB-UDF believes the elections should be held as soon as possible, and the end of March is a suitable time, as the nearly two months leading up to that date are likely to be dominated by heavy political rhetoric that divides rather than unites Bulgarians. He warned that such rhetoric could once again discourage voter turnout rather than motivate it.

"That is why we should hold the elections as soon as possible. The year 2026 will see not only these elections - Bulgarians will go to the polls at least once more, for the presidential election, and campaigns for all types of elections have already begun," Zhelyazkov said. He also stressed that the current crisis should not be allowed to become a political or institutional one.

For his part, President Radev told Zhelyazkov: "Your resignation in the wake of the mass protests across the country was an act of wisdom and responsibility. (...) I hope we can maintain a good pace so as not to delay the election process."

On December 11, 2025, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov tendered the Cabinet's resignation following nationwide protests against the 2026 budget bill and corruption.

Radev held consultations with the parliamentary groups on December 15-19. They expressed the view that a new government cannot or should not be formed in this Parliament and that early parliamentary elections are needed.

Under the Bulgarian Constitution, when a government resigns, it continues to perform its functions until a new regular cabinet is elected or a caretaker one appointed. The National Assembly also continues to function until a new legislature is elected and sworn in.

After consultations with the parliamentary groups, the President mandates the largest group to form a government, followed by the second largest if the first attempt fails. If both are unsuccessful, a third mandate is given to a group chosen by the President. Should all three fail, the President appoints a caretaker government and calls early parliamentary elections within two months.

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 the Deputy Ombudsman.

The GERB party has taken a political decision that Parliament Chair Raya Nazaryan will not take on the role of caretaker prime minister. 

Bulgarian National Bank Governor Dimitar Radev told BTA on December 23 that he would not accept the position of caretaker prime minister, as this would call into question the independence of the bank.

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva said on January 11 that the ombudsman and their deputy should be removed from the list of senior public officials eligible to become caretaker prime minister. She argued that the independence of the ombudsman from the executive must be maintained.

Bulgarian National Audit Office President Dimitar Glavchev was appointed caretaker prime minister on two separate occasions in 2024.