Just weeks before Bulgaria will join other European countries that use the euro as their official currency at the beginning of next year, tens of thousands of people participated in the most recent large-scale rallies throughout the country on Wednesday, accusing the government of pervasive corruption and highlighting political divisions.
The protests, which were triggered by the government's budget plans for greater taxes, increased social security contributions, and increased spending, followed last week's protests. The contentious 2026 budget plan was later withdrawn by the government.
Since then, the demonstrators' demands have grown to include calls for Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's center-right government to step down.

Protesters congregated in Sofia's central square, which is home to the government, parliament, and presidential facilities. They demanded Zhelyazkov's minority coalition Cabinet resign while chanting "Resignation" and "Mafia."
The protests attracted more participants than last week's gatherings, which attracted over 50,000 people, according to organizers, including students from Sofia's universities. According to media estimates based on drone footage, there were more than 100,000 protestors.
Delyan Peevski, a Bulgarian politician and oligarch who has been sanctioned by both the United States and Britain and whose MRF New Beginning party supports the government, is at the center of the demonstrators' grievances. Opponents have accused Peevski of assisting in the formulation of governmental policies that support oligarchic interests.

The demonstrations concluded amicably and there were no reports of violence.
We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, the opposition alliance, also demanded a vote of no confidence in the government on Wednesday. The opposition's sixth such resolution will be put to a vote on Thursday.
The protests on Wednesday were effectively a vote of "no confidence in the Cabinet," according to a Facebook post by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.
When the parliamentarians cast their votes on Thursday, Radev, a political leftist and government opponent, urged them to pay attention to the people and "choose between the dignity of free voting and the shame of dependence."

A major EU initiative to strengthen links among member nations is the eurozone, of which Bulgaria will shortly become the 21st member. On January 1, the 6.4 million-person Balkan nation will convert from its indigenous currency, the lev, to the euro.In Bulgaria, tens of thousands of people take part in anti-government protests calling for the resignation of the prime minister.