Tens of thousands of people gathered in Sofia on Monday in one of Bulgaria’s largest demonstrations in years, expanding a growing anti-corruption movement in the EU’s poorest member state. The protests began last week in response to the draft 2026 budget, which critics say hides systemic corruption rather than addressing it.
Crowds filled the square in front of parliament, carrying signs calling for political change. Many protesters said they were tired of what they described as long-standing lawlessness and a lack of accountability from the country’s leaders.
After the main rally ended, clashes with the police broke out when some of the protesters, their faces covered, attacked the headquarters of the DPS party, which supports the government, with stones and bottles and threw firecrackers at the police.
Police retaliated with tear gas. Several arrests were also made.
A nearby office of the governing GERB party was also vandalised.
President Rumen Radev condemned the violence and called for the government to resign and hold early elections.
“There is only one way out: resignation and early elections,” the head of state said on Facebook.
The government is expected to introduce amendments to the 2026 budget this week, while also preparing for Bulgaria’s official entry into the eurozone on January 1.
Critics argue that corruption in public institutions remains deep-rooted and that simply adjusting the budget will not resolve the country’s wider governance problems.
