Bulgaria’s Gen Z Protests Against Corruption and State Capture

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned on December 11, 2025, following a wave of mass demonstrations that forced the withdrawal of a proposed national budget and signaled a broader uprising against systemic corruption.

The protests, which began on November 26, 2025, were initially triggered by the Zhelyazkov government’s 2026 budget plan. The proposal included tax increases, specifically targeting the amounts individuals were required to contribute to social-security and pension programs.

While the budget served as the immediate catalyst, the movement quickly evolved into a referendum on state capture and the corrupt governance model that has characterized Bulgarian politics for more than a decade. Demonstrators in the capital, Sofia, and other cities adopted slogans such as Resign! and Mafia out!

Escalation and Scale of Demonstrations

The scale of the protests grew rapidly throughout December 2025. On the first day of demonstrations, November 26, approximately 20,000 people took to the streets. By December 1, the number of protesters grew to between 50,000 and 150,000, with riots occurring on that date.

The movement reached its peak on December 10, 2025, when attendance estimates ranged from 100,000 to 250,000 people. During the December 10 protests in Sofia, approximately 100 police officers were deployed. The period of unrest resulted in more than 101 arrests and at least 11 injuries, including three police officers.

The demonstrations were not limited to Bulgaria’s borders, as diaspora protests were also organized in several countries, including Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, and Czechia.

The Role of Gen Z and Student Activism

The movement was characterized by significant participation from Generation Z and student organizations. Among these was Students Against the Mafia, an informal student organization founded by Aleksandar Tanev.

Tanev, a Russian-Bulgarian citizen who moved to Sofia after facing threats and a military draft notice in Russia following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, described the motivation behind the activism as a fight against a comprehensive system of state capture.

We Protested Against a Whole System of Corrupt Governance and State Capture

Aleksandar Tanev, founder of Students Against the Mafia

The speed of the government’s collapse was noted as unusual compared to previous Bulgarian protests in 2013 and 2018, which lasted for months before resulting in resignations.

Political Instability and Outcomes

The 2025–2026 protests took place against a backdrop of severe political volatility. Bulgaria had held eight general elections within a five-year period leading up to the most recent vote on April 19, 2026.

The protests achieved several primary goals, including the withdrawal of the 2026 budget proposal and the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on December 11, 2025, shortly before a scheduled no-confidence vote.

The political shift culminated in the victory of the Progressive Bulgaria party in the general election held on April 19, 2026. The protests officially concluded on January 14, 2026.