February 19, 2026
Bulgarian President Ilijana Iotova announced that the country will hold a snap parliamentary election on 19 April, marking it as the eighth election in around five years. Bulgaria has faced prolonged political instability due to a fragmented parliament and the inability of political parties to form stable coalitions. The previous government, headed by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, resigned in December 2025 after weeks of protests over its economic policies. Former President Rumen Radev, who resigned in January, is likely to be one of the main candidates of the parliamentary election.