Bulgarian President Calls for Government Resignation Amid Largest Anti-Corruption Protests in Years
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has urged the government to resign following widespread anti-corruption protests deemed the largest in the country in years. Tens of thousands participated in a central demonstration in front of parliament in Sofia on Monday night, demanding the government’s departure and protesting against a budget proposal seen by opponents as an attempt to cover up deep-rooted corruption in the European Union’s poorest nation, which is preparing to adopt the euro in January 2026.
The protests began last Wednesday and have since spread to several cities. A young demonstrator named Ventsislava Vassileva told AFP that protesters are calling for “a real European country not controlled by the mafia and corruption.”
President Radev responded to the rising public anger, stating that “resignation and returning to the polls is the only way out” and called for an end to all forms of violence, describing them as “provocations from the mafia.”
After the main gathering ended in Sofia, clashes ensued, with masked individuals attacking the headquarters of the government-backed Movement for Rights and Freedoms with stones, bottles, and flares. The police responded with tear gas. Similarly, the office of the ruling party was also attacked, with local media reporting protests in other cities.
The government is expected to announce amendments to the 2026 budget proposal this week after pledging to retract controversial clauses, including an increase in social security contributions.
Daniel Similov, director of programs at the Liberal Strategies Center, stated that a “rational” approach from the government could help it navigate the crisis, emphasizing the need to reform the budget proposal and expedite long-awaited judicial appointments to reassure the public about weak anti-corruption measures.
According to Transparency International, Bulgaria, along with Hungary and Romania, is among the most corrupt countries in the European Union. The country has witnessed seven early elections since the major protests in 2020 that toppled Boyko Borisov’s government. Borisov’s conservative GERB party won the 2024 elections and formed the current ruling coalition.
