Bulgaria to Hold Snap Elections on April 19, Caretaker Government Appointed

Bulgaria will hold snap parliamentary elections on April 19, 2026, after President Iliana Yotova approved a caretaker government led by Prime Minister-designate Andrey Gyurov. The decision comes amid ongoing political instability in the European Union member state.

Caretaker Government Approved

President Yotova formally appointed Andrey Gyurov, the deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, to lead the interim government on February 18, 2026 . She emphasized that the caretaker government’s primary responsibility is to organize “honest, transparent, well-prepared, and properly conducted elections” . Gyurov presented the list of his caretaker ministers on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 .

Election Date Set

With a separate decree, President Yotova scheduled the early parliamentary elections for April 19, 2026 . She also determined the numbering, names, and boundaries of the electoral districts with a third decree . President Yotova will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the caretaker government, which will be held in the National Assembly .

Veto of Election Code Amendments

Earlier on Wednesday, February 5, 2026, President Yotova vetoed amendments to the Election Code passed by parliament, returning the legislation for reconsideration . The changes would have limited the number of polling stations in non-EU countries to a maximum of twenty .