Author: Martin Atanasov
On December 11, 2025, Bulgaria looked like a country that had finally found its voice. After the most massive protests in our country in the 21st century, the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned under the pressure of the squares. The euphoria was visible, and the hope - almost physically tangible. But today, exactly 47 days later, it is time to take off the rose-colored glasses and ask: what has really changed?
Do we feel that we live better? Is the healthcare system being reformed, has the water crisis been resolved, have pensions increased? Or maybe the judicial system has finally started working and we have seen politicians convicted because of the countless signals of corruption? The short answer is: no.
Since the mass protests, almost nothing has changed except for the president, who is a woman for the first time (which is great!). In the Council of Ministers and the National Assembly, everything is going on “as before“. The Peevski-Borisov tandem continues to pull the strings of the state, even though they have stopped showing them daily on television.
Don't fall asleep, for God's sake!
The country is falling into chaos day after day, caused by insane decisions on the political and geopolitical scene, directed by those who have seemingly withdrawn. We are witnessing inexplicable phenomena – such as the Prime Minister's signature in resignation under the charter of the so-called Donald Trump's peace council, without being authorized by anyone. Or another fair with the Electoral Code, held until 4 am, which, miraculously, has not yet been adopted in the plenary hall.
All this is happening before the eyes of a society that seems to be starting to fall asleep again. After the initial wave of anger, we now see how the civic energy evaporates. There are no new protests or visible anger - people react to the insane news only through likes and comments on Facebook and Instagram. But a like is not a position, and digital outrage is not pressure.
The biggest danger 47 days later is the belief that a resignation is the end of the battle. History proves to us that when society approaches this way, the scenario repeats itself in the short term; very soon we find ourselves in the squares again, only more exhausted and more desperate.
The price of our short-sightedness
As always, Bulgarians are waiting for someone to come and do the job for us. We are again in the "savior-seeking" mode, with our eyes fixed on the next new face on the political horizon. We are ready to bet on him - despite the shadow of General Reshetnikov, despite the unclear positions on Crimea or dubious contracts like "Botas", which suck millions every day. Haven't we learned the most important lesson: that we ourselves must finish what we started? If we trust the next "messiah", we will very soon be protesting against the same person whom we recognize today as an alternative.
But why is this so? The main problem is that we still do not have a sustainable civil society in Bulgaria. There is a lack of depoliticized organizations that would be a permanent corrective and a pillar of the community - not only in Sofia, but throughout the country. Even the younger generation (Gen Z) seems unable to start building structures that would turn the protest energy into a sustainable asset, as we observe in neighboring Serbia, for example.
In the end, it all comes down to elections
But let's be objective - the only real measure of whether we have returned to the initial apathetic position will be the upcoming elections. Voter turnout will show whether we have grown as a society, or whether we have simply taken another dose of “square adrenaline“, before sinking into the familiar sleep.
These elections will also be a test for the political class itself - whether it has the capacity to offer anything meaningful at all, or at least something that does not disgust people, as usual. How many young people will go to the polls will also be the most accurate indicator - are they as active as they were credited with, or were they just extras in a brief moment of euphoria?
But the elections themselves will not solve anything. Democracy does not end with resignation and does not end with election day. It is not a catharsis, but a process - slow, exhausting and often thankless. 47 days later, the real question is not who will govern us, but whether this time we will stay awake - or fall asleep again?