Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned on Thursday after less than a year in office, following weeks of mass street protests over economic policies.
Rosen Zhelyazkov announced his decision in a televised statement just before parliament was set to vote on a no-confidence motion. The resignation also comes weeks before Bulgaria’s planned entry into the eurozone on 1 January.
"Our coalition met, we discussed the current situation, the challenges we face and the decisions we must responsibly make," Zhelyazkov said, announcing the government's decision to resign.
The former prime minister said the coalition had discussed the mounting challenges and concluded that they must meet society’s expectations, noting that political power ultimately comes from the people. After meeting leaders of the ruling parties, Zhelyazkov added that citizens from all backgrounds had demanded the government’s departure and that their civic momentum should be supported.
Thousands of protesters filled capital Sofia and towns across Bulgaria on Wednesday night, continuing a wave of demonstrations reflecting growing public anger. Protesters called for the government’s resignation and carried anti-government signs. Many said corruption had become unbearable. Students from Sofia’s universities joined the rally, which local media estimated at more than 100,000 people based on drone footage - an enormous turnout in a nation of under seven million.
The unrest followed earlier protests sparked by the government’s draft budget, which proposed tax increases, higher social security contributions, and expanded spending. Although the draft 2026 budget was later withdrawn, critics said it attempted to hide deep-rooted corruption, prompting broader demands for the centre-right government to quit.
