Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

The 46th Bulgarian National Assembly starts its work

Photo: library

The most senior member of Parliament Mika Zaykova from “There is Such a People” party (ITN) is expected to open and preside over the first sitting of the 46th National Assembly. Three months ago, Zaykova opened the first sitting of the 45th Parliament, which receded into history after only 25 days of work.


The first sitting of this country’s new National Assembly will take place in the old Parliament House. The south entrance of the building overarches the motto “United We Stand Strong”. The new MPs will take an oath and elect a Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the 46th National Assembly. Iva Miteva from ITN, who served as Speaker of the 45th National Assembly, is expected to be nominated for the position of National Assembly Speaker again. The second biggest Parliamentary group GERB-SDS is unlikely to nominate an MP for the position of National Assembly Speaker and this third biggest group BSP for Bulgaria will take a decision in the last moment.

Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister Yanaki Stoilov submitted to the Supreme Judicial Council a request for opening a procedure for early termination of the powers of Bulgaria’s Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev. That is why, we are to submit a proposal during the first sitting of the new Parliament to hear two ministers- the caretaker Minister of Interior Boyko Rashkov and this country’s caretaker Minister of Justice Yanaki Stoilov, announced MP Nikolay Hadzhigenov from “Stand up! Thugs out” coalition. 

However, the most important task of the new MPs is to form a government.

According to the legal procedure, this country’s head of state initiates political consultations and later hands in a government-forming mandate to the political force, which placed first at the general elections – “There is Such a People” party. The party headed by Slavi Trifonov will have one week to form a cabinet. If this party fails to do so, the second government-forming mandate will go to the political force that placed second at the early general elections – the coalition GERB-SDS. If they also fail to form a cabinet, Bulgaria’s President has the right to hand in the third government-forming mandate to a parliamentary group of his choice.

With a quorum of 121 MPs, only 61 MPs are enough to elect a new Prime Minister and a cabinet. “There is Such a People” party has 65 seats in the 46th National Assembly, the coalition GERB-SDS has 63 seats, the coalition BSP for Bulgaria has 36 seats, Democratic Bulgaria coalition – 34 seats, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party – 29 seats and “Stand up! Thugs out” coalition – 13 seats.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

Photos: library



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria and its Balkan neighbours in 2024: Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia

The decision for Bulgaria's full membership in the Schengen area from the beginning of 2025 is a historic event both for the country and for relations with neighboring EU countries – Romania and Greece. What is the defining event in..

published on 12/30/24 2:55 PM

The political 2024 and what new targets Bulgaria is expected to be working on after the country’s full accession to the Schengen area

Making sense of the events from one whole year succinctly is, without doubt, a challenge, especially if we are talking about politics. The early elections for parliament, that have become something of a tradition in this country, took voters to the..

updated on 12/27/24 2:47 PM

Balkan developments

Romania closes dozens of border check points as of 1 January In connection with its full accession to the Schengen area, as of 1 January, 2025, Romania is closing more than 30 border check points on its borders with Bulgaria and Hungary, Radio..

updated on 12/27/24 11:58 AM