Bulgarian president announces snap polls on April 19, vetoes overseas voting changes

By Talha Ozturk

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (AA)—The Bulgarian president has announced that snap parliamentary elections will be held on April 19, as the European Union member state continues to face political instability.

Speaking at a press conference at the Presidency on Wednesday, Iliana Yotova said she would sign the necessary decrees once Andrey Gyurov, deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, submits a proposed caretaker Cabinet within a week.

Earlier, Yotova formally appointed Gyurov to lead an interim government, stressing that its primary responsibility will be to organize "honest, transparent, well-prepared, and properly conducted elections."

“You are expected to protect every single vote. The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights in human history,” she said during the appointment ceremony.

Gyurov accepted the mandate, pledging to approach the process responsibly and to select Cabinet members based on experience, expertise, and professional credibility. He underlined that the caretaker government’s primary role will be to ensure public trust in the electoral process and encourage voter participation.

Earlier on Wednesday, Yotova vetoed several amendments to the Election Code passed by parliament on Feb. 5, 2026, returning the legislation for reconsideration.

The changes would have limited the number of polling stations in non-EU countries to a maximum of twenty. Yotova argued that the provision could restrict the voting rights of Bulgarian citizens living abroad, potentially violating the constitutional principle of universal and equal suffrage.

She emphasized that all Bulgarian citizens, regardless of where they live, are entitled to equal constitutional rights and that the state is required to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote.

The upcoming ballot would mark Bulgaria’s fifth snap parliamentary election in just over three years, making it one of the most politically unstable EU member states during that period.

Since 2021, fragmented parliaments, failed coalition negotiations, and deep divisions between reformist, anti-corruption parties, the long-dominant GERB party, and nationalist and minority factions have repeatedly prevented the formation of durable governments.

Disputes over judicial reforms, anti-corruption measures, energy policy, and Bulgaria’s stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine have further strained alliances, leading to short-lived administrations and repeated caretaker governments appointed by the presidency.