Bulgarian parliament approves coalition government led by central-right bloc

ATHENS

The Bulgarian parliament approved the coalition government led by the central-right GERB-UDF bloc, local media reported on Thursday.

The proposed Cabinet of Premier Rosen Zhelyazko was approved in the parliament’s plenary session with 125 for and 114 against votes, state-run BTA news agency reported.

Yes votes came from coalition partners of GERB-UDF bloc, leftist bloc of Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and United Left, and populist There Is Such a People (TSIP) party.

The government also includes deputy premiers, and ministers from the leftist BSP-United bloc, and populist TISP party.

The Movement of Rights and Freedoms (HOH) also supported the Cabinet though it will not be part of the coalition government.

Following the session, the Cabinet members took an oath in the office.

Speaking during the ceremony of handover and acceptance of power, Zhelyazko said: “Our first tasks are related to restoring the confidence of the state administration so that it can function with motivation.”

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev gave the mandate to form a government to the central-right GERB-UDF bloc.

Since the latest early parliamentary elections on Oct. 27, 2024, the country was run by a caretaker Cabinet headed by Dimitar Glavchev.