site.bta18% of Bulgarians Believe Country's Situation Will Improve in 2026, 38% Are Pessimists

A total of 18% of Bulgarians believe that 2026 will be a better year for Bulgaria compared to 2025, according to a survey by Trend Research Centre commissioned by 24 Chasa and published on Thursday. Another 38%, the highest negative share since the start of 2025, think that the situation in Bulgaria next year will deteriorate.

The poll dedicated to public attitudes toward institutions, political parties and relevant topics, was conducted between September 13 and 20, 2025, among 1,004 adults.

With regard to personal well-being, 17% of respondents are optimistic, while 31% expect their situation to worsen.

Parliament retains its low approval rating, as 15% of Bulgarians express a positive attitude, while 77% express a negative one. Forty-three percent of Bulgarians assess President Rumen Radev's work positively, while 44% offered a negative review.

GERB retains its leadership with 26.4% support from the electorate. Three political entities, Vazrazhdane, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning, and Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, enjoy nearly identical levels of popularity with support rates of 13.9%, 13.5%, and 13.3% respectively. They are followed by BSP-United Left with 7.2%, MECh with 6.5%, and There Is Such a People with 5.7%. The poll suggested that Velichie have a support rate of 4.1%, just over the 4% share of electoral votes required to enter Parliament. The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms on the other hand would struggle to do so with an approval rate of 2.5%.

Trend reported that just below half of the respondents or 48% said that they would vote, if elections were held today. If transposed on the entire electorate, that share would be equivalent to 2.64 million people.