Author: Ruslana Margova, BROD, GATE Institute, SU St. Kliment Ohridski
Reviewer: Patrick Gensing, independent journalist
Updated 17/11/2025
introduction
- The political crisis in Bulgaria has not subsided in recent years. After the elections in October 2024, a government was formed, which in just one year was subjected to 5 votes of no confidence.
Since the last report on Bulgaria in 2023, Bulgaria has experienced significant political turmoil, with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) splitting into two factions ahead of the 2024 elections, and following discrepancies in voting results reviewed by the Constitutional Court, the new party Velichie entered parliament, shrinking the governing majority, and resulting in the removal of 16 MPs, including from Peevski’s MRF faction[1]. The ongoing political instability in Bulgaria highlights deep divisions within established parties and electoral processes, with shifting alliances and disputes over election results reflecting broader challenges to governance, weakening the country’s political cohesion, ability to form stable majorities and electoral fatigue leading to institutional distrust. - On May 1, 2023, there was an attempt for physical attack against the General Prosecutor Ivan Geshev. A month later, on June 15, 2023, the Supreme Judicial Council removed him from the post of Prosecutor General. On June 16, 2023, his deputy Borislav Sarafov was elected as acting Prosecutor General, till 2 October 2025 by a decision of Supreme Court of Cassation. At the end of Geshev’s mandate, several landmark cases were opened – the so-called Barcelona Gate (against former Prime Minister and current leader of the GERB party Boyko Borisov), against former prosecutor and investigator Petyo Petrov-Evroto, for the murder of notary Martin Bozanov. Later, these cases were closed. Sarafov is still the acting Prosecutor General. Thus, not only the Prosecutor General is acting temporarily – the mandate of the director of the state-owned Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Emil Koshlukov expired in 2022. Since then, a new director general cannot be elected due to a failed procedure. On 15.07.2025, at its meeting, the Bulgarian Council for Electronic Media announced a procedure for electing a new director general of BNT. The prolonged interim leadership in key institutions reflects a deeper institutional paralysis and ongoing governance crisis in Bulgaria.
- The entry into parliament of the so-called patriotic parties (Vazrazhdane, MECH, Velichie) reflects the strong sentiments for upholding national identity, as opposed to Bulgaria’s European future. However, despite of such a pro-patriotic movement, from 31 March 2024, Bulgaria and Romania have been partially accepted into the Schengen area by air and water, and later, after a unanimous decision of the Council of Ministers of the Interior of the EU on 12.12. 2024 the two countries become full members of the Schengen Area from 1 January 2025. The euro will be introduced in the Republic of Bulgaria on 1 January 2026. Sociological surveys on public attitudes from mid-2025 show that there is a stabilization of support in society for joining the Eurozone and concerns are for the first six months of accession. Despite the rise of nationalist parties, Bulgaria’s full Schengen membership and upcoming euro adoption reflect a continued commitment of the whole democratic society to European integration.
- In recent months, no significant change has been registered in the assessment of the work of the main institutions – parliament 15% positive assessment and 77% negative, government – the positive assessment is 26% and the negative 57%., for the president. The media situation is far from normal and is still complicated. “Press freedom is fragile and unstable in one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the European Union. The few independent media in Bulgaria are under pressure”, is said in the report of Reporter sans frontiers 2025. News avoidance is the highest in Bulgaria (63%), is noticed by the Digital News Report 2025 of Reuters Institute. The same report mentioned that Bulgaria has held seven elections in four years, contributing to widespread voter apathy, disillusionment, and election fatigue, and more: “The Bulgarian media environment struggles with systemic issues of political interference, limited pluralism, and low levels of public trust. The country continues to be rocked by severe political turbulence, culminating in two snap parliamentary elections in 2024.
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