Bulgaria’s President Iliana Yotova on February 3 began consultations with parliamentary parties as part of the procedure to appoint a caretaker prime minister, a step that will determine the timing of the country’s next snap election.

Bulgaria has been without a regular government since Prime Minister Rossen Zhelyazkov resigned on December 11, 2025, following nationwide protests over corruption and a disputed budget proposal. His coalition, which had taken office only in January 2025 after months of negotiations, collapsed amid public anger over alleged oligarchic influence, including the role of businessman Delyan Peevski, who is sanctioned by the United States under the Magnitsky Act.

Yotova assumed the presidency after Rumen Radev formally resigned on January 23, becoming Bulgaria’s first female head of state. The country is now heading toward its eighth parliamentary election since 2021.

Under constitutional amendments adopted in 2023, the president appoints a caretaker government and schedules early elections within two months after consultations with parliamentary groups and upon the proposal of a caretaker prime minister-designate. The constitution limits the pool of eligible caretaker prime ministers to 10 senior public officials, including the parliament speaker, the central bank governor and deputies, the head and deputies of the national audit office and the national ombudsman and deputy ombudsman.

Yotova has faced delays in filling the post after a series of refusals. Central bank governor Dimitar Radev and his deputies rejected the role on January 28, while other senior officials, including parliamentary speaker Raya Nazaryan, also declined. A total of five officials who were initially seen as potential candidates told Yotova they were unwilling to serve.

The first consultations this week were held with the largest parliamentary group, GERB-UDF, represented by Nazaryan and senior party figures. GERB-UDF suggested that Yotova select a caretaker prime minister from among members of parliament, after which lawmakers could elect that person as speaker to make them eligible. Yotova responded cautiously, saying the election of a speaker was entirely the prerogative of parliament and stressing the separation of powers.

“I have no intention of postponing the early parliamentary elections,” Yotova said, BTA reported. Officials had previously discussed holding the vote in late March, but expectations have now shifted toward a date after the Easter holidays.

Later consultations were held with the second-largest group, Change Continues–Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB). Party leaders said the future caretaker cabinet must ensure fair elections and curb what they described as entrenched corruption linked to Peevski and former prime minister Boyko Borissov.

“The caretaker cabinet must guarantee a fair vote and stop the corruption tap of the Peevski–Borissov model,” said Bozhidar Bozhanov of the Yes, Bulgaria party, according to Mediapool. CC-DB leaders also criticised the previous caretaker government, headed by Dimitar Glavchev, saying elections under it had not been fair.

PP leader Assen Vassilev said the caretaker government would also need to keep the state functioning and focus on meeting criteria to unlock around €3bn in remaining funds under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. He warned that delays in rule-of-law reforms risked the loss of hundreds of millions of euros in EU funding.

With parties divided and eligible candidates scarce, Bulgaria’s political deadlock shows little sign of easing as Yotova works to assemble a caretaker administration and steer the country toward yet another election.