Bulgaria's president will start talks on new cabinet after government collapse

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria's president will start consultations with parliamentary groups next week on forming a new cabinet following the collapse of the government in nationwide anti-corruption protests.

Rosen Zhelyazkov’s minority government had survived six no-confidence votes since it was appointed in January, only to be toppled in the street protests on Thursday by tens of thousands.

President Rumen Radev is set to invite the biggest group in parliament for talks on forming a government. If that fails, the second-largest grouping will get its chance before the president chooses a candidate. If all attempts fail — which is likely — he will appoint a caretaker cabinet until a new election is held in two months.

Analysts expect another election — the eighth since 2021 — would likely produce a deeply fragmented parliament and more political instability as Bulgaria readies to join the common European currency on Jan. 1.

Fears of inflation, reportedly fueled by a disinformation campaign by Moscow, have dampen enthusiasm for the euro. Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007.

In a last-moment effort to block the country’s path to the euro, the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party submitted in parliament a draft resolution requesting a one-year postponement of Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone, citing the absence of a new budget and political instability.

Chances are slim the resolution will pass, but such motions reflect the tensions that are expected to grow until the next election that could change Bulgaria’s pro-Western course.

Analysts expect Radev to form a new party ahead of the next parliamentary election. The left-leaning Radev has criticized the pro-Western government’s support for Ukraine.

“In Bulgaria, the political forces that can stop the Kremlin’s plan to control our country are divided by another major problem in Bulgarian politics," political analyst Ognyan Minchev said, referring to the bickering between the main pro-Western parties over domestic policies.