Nataliya Kiselova Resigns as Parliament Chair, Raya Nazaryan Elected in Rotation Deal

UPDATED Nataliya Kiselova Resigns as Parliament Chair, Raya Nazaryan Elected in Rotation Deal

Metodi Yordanov

Snapshot of Wednesday's sitting in Parliament (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Sofia,

29.10.2025 14:31 | UPDATED 29.10.2025 15:09

(BTA)

Nataliya Kiselova of BSP – United Left resigned on Wednesday as Chair of the National Assembly. Speaking before Parliament, Kiselova emphasized her decision was guided by “a sense of duty and responsibility toward parliamentary practice under conditions of shared governance.” Kiselova was elected to lead the Bulgarian Parliament in the 11th attempt on December 6, 2024.

Following her resignation, Parliament quickly moved to elect a new Chair under the coalition’s rotation agreement. Raya Nazaryan, nominated by GERB–UDF, was elected to lead the 51st National Assembly with 129 votes in favor, 77 against, and 14 abstentions. Nazaryan’s candidacy was supported by GERB–UDF, MRF – New Beginning, BSP – United Left, There Is Such a People (TISP), and four independent MPs. Nazaryan chaired the previous parliament and was GERB-UDF's nominee for the post in the present National Assembly, which held its inaugural sitting on November 11, 2024.

Opposition parties, including Vazrazhdane, MECh, Velichie, Alliance for Rights and Freedoms and 11 Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MPs voted against the election. Fourteen CC-DB MPs abstained. Vazrazhdane’s nominee, Tsoncho Ganev, received only four votes.

On Tuesday, the government coalition of GERB-UDF, BSP - United Left and TISP decided that Nazaryan will replace Kiselova as Chair of the National Assembly. The Joint Governance Council of the three-party coalition decided earlier on Tuesday to introduce rotational chairmanship of Parliament. GERB said on Facebook that the rotation will take place every ten months.

On October 26, the National Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) approved a proposal for a rotational chairmanship of the National Assembly, party Chair and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov announced. The decision was supported by 100 members, with three abstentions and two votes against.

On October 21, after a meeting of the Joint Governance Council, it became known that GERB and TISP had raised the issue of introducing a rotating parliamentary chairmanship.

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The transition sparked sharp criticism from Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov, who accused Kiselova’s own party of betrayal and condemned the move as “replacing one of [MRF - New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan] Peevski’s people with another — Raya Nazaryan.” Kostadinov also warned that Bulgaria’s 2026 budget “smells of bankruptcy,” pointing to daily debt increases and fiscal risks ahead of the country’s eurozone entry in January 2026.

GERB leader Boyko Borissov dismissed tensions over the rotation, calling the process a pre-agreed arrangement among coalition partners. Opposition MPs criticized the government for rejecting proposals to summon ministers to discuss the impact of U.S. sanctions on Russian companies and consequences for Bulgarian consumers.

Regarding the rotation of the chair of the National Assembly, TISP Deputy Floor Leader Stanislav Balabanov told journalists that it is done to ensure stability and to prevent questions about possible tensions within the ruling majority. “It is now Raya Nazaryan’s turn, as traditionally the largest political force has always had the opportunity to hold the position of chairperson,” he said. After her term, the chair will be nominated by TISP, and afterwards by BSP - United Left, he added.

The election of Raya Nazaryan as National Assembly Chair aims to guarantee GERB a caretaker prime minister, said MECh leader Radostin Vasilev. Under the Constitution, the head of the National Assembly is eligible to head a caretaker cabinet. Vasilev noted that MECh is against the election of Nazaryan and does not support such a Parliament chairperson.

Kiselova’s resignation and Nazaryan’s election highlight the fragile power-sharing dynamics in Bulgaria’s current Parliament, underscoring both the coalition’s internal agreements and ongoing opposition discontent.

/MY/