Bulgaria's biggest party rejects offer to form new government, snap election likely

Bulgaria's Leading Party Declines Government Formation, Snap Elections Ahead

Bulgaria's Political Landscape

SOFIA, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's biggest parliamentary grouping, the centre-right GERB-SDS, declined a request on Monday from the president to try and form a new government, increasing the likelihood of a snap election in the European Union's poorest member state.

GERB-SDS's Coalition Challenges

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's coalition government, backed by GERB-SDS, resigned last month after weeks of street protests against state corruption and a new budget that would have increased some taxes.

Implications of Snap Elections

In line with the constitution, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Monday formally asked Zhelyazkov to try and build a new coalition, the local BTA news agency reported. However, Zhelyazkov immediately returned the mandate, it said, as he lacks enough support in parliament to build a stable majority.

Impact on EU Integration

Radev is now expected to offer the second largest grouping, the reformist PP-DB, a chance to govern but it is also likely to turn down the offer. Radev will then hand the mandate to a party of his choice and if no grouping can secure a parliamentary majority, he will dissolve the assembly and call a snap election, Bulgaria's eighth in just four years.

Despite such uncertainty, Bulgaria joined the euro zone on January 1 as scheduled. It needs political stability, however, to speed up the uptake of EU funds into its creaking infrastructure, to encourage foreign investment and to root out endemic state corruption.

The GERB-SDS coalition won the last election in October 2024 but only took power in January 2025 after months of talks and needed the support of other parties in the divided legislature.

(Reporting by Stoyan Nenov; Writing by Angeliki KoutantouEditing by Gareth Jones)