Bulgaria’s parliament unanimously approved the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on Friday, after he announced he would step down in agreement to more than two weeks of street protests. Video posted by the state broadcaster, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), showed Bulgaria’s National Assembly voting 227 "in favor" of Zhelyazkov’s resignation, with no votes "against" nor any "abstentions."
The premier announced his resignation on BTA on Thursday, saying: “Our desire is to be at the level that society expects. Power stems from the sovereign and the voice of the people.” Zhelyazkov announced his decision to step down just before parliament was scheduled to hold a no-confidence vote in his minority government. His unpopular government has already survived five such votes and allegations of corruption since coming to power at the beginning of 2025.
The latest wave of protests that triggered his ouster began in November following the announcement of his government’s 2026 budget. The protests caused his government to withdraw the budget, but they continued, demanding the resignation of his government and new elections. The decision comes just a few weeks before Bulgaria is scheduled to adopt the euro as its currency, on January 1, 2026.
