No quorum, scandals and friendly fire: Is the government on shaky ground?

published on 9/29/25 1:42 PM

Photo: BTA

Last week, Bulgaria’s 51st National Assembly all but ground to a halt. On each of the three regular sitting days — Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday — parliament failed to reach the required quorum of 121 out of 220 deputies. On Friday, for instance, only 111 MPs were present in the chamber — ten short of the required number.

The absence was partly explained by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s official visit to the United States, accompanied by a sizeable delegation from the governing majority. Although the opposition were present in the building, they declined to register for the sittings, insisting that it is the responsibility of those in power to ensure a quorum. This enforced “holiday” occurred despite MPs facing their most pressing task of the year: drafting the 2026 state budget.

Storm in a teacup

The political drama did not stop there, however. For the first time, GERB leader Boyko Borissov openly criticised his own ally, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, as well as Delyan Peevski, head of the DPS–New Beginning party. Borissov lambasted the government for failing to tackle the water crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of citizens. In response, several ministers were promptly dispatched to Pleven, the city worst affected by the shortages.

Peevski, who has styled himself as the cabinet’s guarantor, also came under fire. Meanwhile, the now-familiar hostilities between the government and its parliamentary supporters on the one hand, and the presidency on the other, continued — further highlighting the fragility of the political balance.

Public frustration deepens

Bulgarians remain overwhelmingly critical of the country’s political landscape. Parliament continues to be the least trusted institution, with only 15% of citizens expressing a positive view of its work. According to a survey conducted by Trend between 13 and 20 September for the daily newspaper 24 Chasa, 23% of respondents support the government, while 66% oppose it.

The public mood is equally bleak regarding the economy: 38% of respondents expect conditions to deteriorate over the next year, at a time when Bulgaria is due to formally enter the eurozone.

What does it mean when the ruling coalition — GERB–SDS, BSP, and There Is Such a People, backed by DPS–New Beginning — is unable to keep parliament running?

Economist Krassen Stanchev, founder of the Institute for Market Economics and a former MP in Bulgaria’s first post-communist National Assembly (1990–91), points to deep centrifugal forces at play within the majority, which nominally controls up to 180 seats.

‘Judging by how they chose a constitutional judge and made various senior administrative appointments, it’s clear there are centrifugal tendencies within the governing bloc,’ he told Radio Bulgaria. ‘The immediate problem for the government is the delay in drafting next year’s budget. That’s largely due to proposals — particularly from the BSP — for fundamental tax changes, including the introduction of progressive taxation.’

According to Krassen Stanchev, the stark differences between GERB and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) are not as significant as they seem.

“What unites all the parties in government is a push for more control, more state-owned enterprises, and greater state involvement in the economy,” he said. He added that clashes at the local level “drain municipal resources” and prevent parliamentary parties from implementing fiscal decentralisation.

Meanwhile, the failure to reach a quorum last week was largely circumstantial, according to Slavi Vassilev, a political analyst and former advisor to President Rumen Radev.

“At this stage, the coalition is stable, much to the dismay of those who view it as harmful to Bulgaria,” he told Radio Bulgaria.

How long can stability last?

Vassilev warns that the political landscape is likely to shift once Bulgaria adopts the euro on 1 January 2026.

“First, Boyko Borissov will be eager to claim credit for Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone, even though the public was never consulted and many signals suggest that it would have been more prudent to remain in the currency board until the situation in the eurozone improves — if it ever does. The political elite in this country has long stopped paying attention to economic realities or public opinion on major issues,” he said.

He believes that the government is unlikely to complete a full term, but for now it remains relatively stable, largely because the threat posed to the current parties by a new political project forming around the president — one that could pave the way for an alternative to Borissov and Peevski — is very real.

Editor: Elena Karkalanova

Posted in English by E. Radkova

Photos: BTA, rctrend.bg, Pixabay, BGNES

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Share

No quorum, scandals and friendly fire: Is the government on shaky ground?

More from category

Balkan developments

Three political parties contest the second place in case of early elections: survey of Trend agency

The EU’s new policies and Bulgaria’s place in them