Bulgarians took to the streets for a third time in two weeks on December 10 to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s minority government, as public anger over corruption deepened ahead of a sixth no-confidence vote.

A rally under the slogan “Resignation. Peevski and Borissov out of power” gathered in central Sofia on the evening of December 10, organised by the opposition party Change Continues–Democratic Bulgaria.

The protest followed a marathon four-hour debate in parliament on a no-confidence motion accusing the government of mishandling economic policy. The vote is scheduled for December 11 with the four parties backing the cabinet — GERB, BSP, ITN and DPS–New Beginning — expected to keep Zhelyazkov in office.

The demonstration is the third in a series after large rallies on November 26 and December 1, when tens of thousands marched in Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv and Burgas. Initially sparked by plans to overhaul tax and social security laws without public consultation, the protests have broadened into calls for resignations and demands to curb the influence of Delyan Peevski, the MRF–New Beginning leader sanctioned by the United States and Britain for corruption.

The government’s withdrawal of the contentious 2026 draft budget on December 2 has done little to quell public anger. A Myara poll published on December 4 found that 71% of Bulgarians back the protests, nearly half want the government to resign and 48% support early elections.

Pro- and anti-government camps mobilise

On December 9, supporters of the minority government held counter-rallies in dozens of towns, organised by the DPS–New Beginning faction and backed in some cities by GERB. The events — promoted under the slogan “No to hatred!” — mirrored recent events in Serbia, where the ruling SNS party staged counter-demonstrations this year in response to mass student-led protests.

President Rumen Radev criticised the pro-government marches, saying Bulgarians were outraged by “the arrogance and high-handedness of oligarchs”. On December 2 he said the government’s resignation was “inevitable” and that snap elections were the only solution.

Peevski’s role has become central to the crisis. A former media mogul, he has exerted significant influence in the fragmented parliament elected in October 2024 — Bulgaria’s seventh election since 2021 — where GERB holds just 69 of 240 seats and relies on the DPS to pass legislation.

Students join mass mobilisation       

Wednesday’s demonstrations were reinforced by growing student participation. Groups from Sofia University, NATFA and other institutions marched through the capital, chanting slogans such as “Shishi out!” and “Resign!” and calling for Peevski’s removal from political life.

The “Students Against the Mafia” initiative said it opposed “the model of the conquered and corrupt state” and supported the rule of law, political pluralism and Bulgaria’s place in the EU, eurozone and NATO. Student groups previously played a prominent role in Bulgaria’s 2013 protests against Peevski’s appointment as head of the national security agency, occupying university buildings for weeks.

A symbolic yellow sofa, “Divan Divan”, installed by Change Continues’ youth wing at Sofia’s Largo, has become a gathering point where citizens leave messages for ITN leader Slavi Trifonov, whose party’s stance will be pivotal in December 11’s no-confidence vote.

Regional unrest grows

Zhelyazkov’s government has struggled to pass reforms in the divided parliament and faces a sixth no-confidence motion on December 11. Although the cabinet remains likely to survive, public dissatisfaction has surged amid concerns over governance, corruption and the influence of private interests on policy.

Political instability in Bulgaria mirrors a wider trend across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where civil unrest has risen due to corruption, economic pressures and public frustration with entrenched political elites.

The Bulgarian protests could easily evolve into a prolonged period of unrest. In Serbia, a year of student-led marches, sit-ins and blockades followed the deadly infrastructure failure in Novi Sad in November 2024. In Bulgaria, a younger generation is also demanding accountability and transparency and may draw inspiration from their Serbian peers.

Whether the current wave of protests will escalate into a prolonged movement remains unclear, but public discontent shows few signs of easing as parliament prepares for another contentious vote.