The BSP convenes for a key plenum of the National Council today against the backdrop of deep intra-party tensions and two issues with the potential to cause serious consequences - will the acting chairman Atanas Zafirov resign and will the decision to hold the 51st Congress of the party on February 7 and 8 remain in force.
Formally, the plenum is to discuss organizational issues, but in reality it is shaping up as a test of trust in Atanas Zafirov and a clash between two visions for the future of the BSP - a quick leadership change through Congress before the elections or a temporary freeze of the conflict in the name of the campaign. If the National Council confirms the Congress on February 7 and 8, the party enters a decisive battle for leadership, with already mentioned names such as Krum Zarkov and possible new nominations at the last minute.
The crisis in the Bulgarian Socialist Party developed in several stages and gradually grew into open leadership and coalition tension, which will find its resolution at the 51st Congress of the party on February 7 and 8. The beginning was set on December 16, 2025, when, after severe internal party disputes, the entire Executive Bureau resigned as an act of collective responsibility for the state of the party.
Nevertheless, Chairman Atanas Zafirov retained his post, which opened the first major line of conflict - between calls for a complete change of leadership and the decision to maintain leadership stability until the Congress. The tension deepened on January 10, 2026, when the National Council made a strategic decision to hold a congress on February 7 and 8.
Then Zafirov rejected the demands for immediate resignation, arguing with the need for a regular and statutory procedure, which caused sharp reactions in some of the party structures. On January 29, 2026, Zafirov made a public attempt to de-escalate, announcing that he would not run for MP, but at the same time stated that he would remain in the race for the leadership position until the congress.
By January 31, the internal party processes had entered a decisive phase - the regional organizations in Sofia and the country were finalizing the nominations for a new chairman, with competing visions for the future of the BSP already emerging within the party. The culmination is expected at the 51st Congress of the BSP in about a week, when delegates must elect a new leader and vote on changes to the statute.
Although Zafirov categorically refuses to step down from his post, the tension surrounding his leadership is escalating. Part of the National Council and the resigned Executive Bureau insist that the BSP needs a new, legitimate chairman before the early parliamentary elections in order to enter the campaign with a clear face and political direction.
Zafirov himself defends the opposite thesis - that convening a Congress right now will push the party towards a – murderous internal war".
The opposite position is taken by the resigned Minister of Social Affairs and a member of the Executive Bureau of the BSP, Borislav Gutsanov, who openly supports holding the Congress on February 7 and 8.
At the same time, Zafirov receives support from some of the local structures. Socialists from the municipalities of Tundzha and Yambol came out in his defense and insisted that the plenum cancel the decision to hold a Congress in February. According to them, its postponement is necessary to prevent the party from being torn apart by internal conflicts on the eve of the elections, BNR reports.