Bulgaria’s parliament unanimously votes to accept resignation of Zhelyazkov’s government

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Bulgaria’s Parliament on Friday voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s government, bringing an end to the Cabinet’s tenure amid weeks of mass protests.

Lawmakers voted 227-0, with no abstentions, to approve the Cabinet’s departure, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

Zhelyazkov announced his resignation at an emergency news conference on Thursday, minutes before parliament was due to debate a no-confidence motion tabled by the Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria alliance, MECh, and the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms.

Despite the announcement, the no-confidence motion was still put to a vote and failed by 106-0 with no abstentions. To succeed, such a move has to be approved by at least 121 members of the 240-seat legislature.

Since Nov. 26, Bulgaria has been gripped by large-scale anti-government protests, initially sparked by the Cabinet’s controversial budget proposals before broadening into wider public anger over alleged corruption, injustice and governance failures.

Addressing the situation earlier, Zhelyazkov said the ruling coalition believed it would survive the no-confidence vote but stressed respect for public sentiment.

“The fountain of power is the sovereign and the voice of the people,” he said, adding that the government sought to meet society’s expectations.

Zhelyazkov was elected prime minister on Jan. 16, 2025, securing 125 votes in favor, 114 against and no abstentions.

With parliament now formally accepting the government’s resignation, constitutional procedures will be triggered to determine the next steps in forming an executive.