Confidence in Bulgarian Government and Leaders Shifts Amid Political Survey Results

According to a recent survey by Market Links, GERB is currently leading in Bulgarian public opinion, with the party securing 22.6% of the vote if elections were held today. The WCC-DB coalition follows closely behind, with the DPS-New Beginning (DPS Peevski) coming in third, outpacing the "Revival" party by a narrow margin. The survey shows that 11.8% would vote for Peevski's DPS, while 11.4% would support the formation of Kostadin Kostadinov's party.

Ahmed Dogan's DPS party has 6.6% support, while the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) garners 6%, and Radostin Vasilev’s MECH party attracts 4.3%. Meanwhile, the "There Is Such a People" (TISP) party remains below the parliamentary threshold with just 3.8% support. The survey, conducted between February 22 and March 2, 2025, included 1,025 participants aged 18 and over, using both direct interviews and online polling methods.

Sociologist Dobromir Zhivkov, who presented the findings, noted that government confidence has remained steady at 27% for two consecutive months, which, while lower than previous levels, still reflects relatively strong approval compared to some cabinets that experienced critical drops in confidence. He also observed a shift in public sentiment toward the president, who had remained largely neutral in his role but has become more involved in active political discourse, leading to a slight decline in his approval ratings.

Zhivkov also commented on the political environment, noting that Bulgarian leaders such as Boyko Borissov of GERB and Delyan Peevski of DPS are facing challenges with their pro-European stance, which is not fully resonating with voters. Despite this, there has been a slight increase in Peevski's support. Confidence in parliament has seen a 5% rise, with notable approval for figures like Natalia Kiselova, particularly among BSP sympathizers. Rosen Zhelyazkov maintains stable approval ratings, and no significant changes are expected in the near future.

Regarding GERB, Zhivkov highlighted that Boyko Borissov continues to position himself as the leader of the party, showing clear ambition to return to the role of prime minister. Public perception suggests Borissov is the one steering the party’s direction, reinforcing his dominant position within GERB’s leadership.

Source: Market Links