"They will ruin our future": Bulgaria's Generation Z lashes out against corruption

Sofia"I'm getting ready for the protest. We have no idea what's going to happen; they might resign," explains Tsvetozar, a young Bulgarian in his thirties, heading to Parliament in the center of the capital. There, the country's youth have called for what they hope will be the largest mobilization of the decade. The movement began on December 1st, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest the 2026 budget, announced days earlier by the government; a draft that included cuts in social spending, an increased tax burden on the self-employed and small businesses, and a lack of measures to combat inflation and corruption. Due to the public outcry—which would end in clashes and arrests that same day—the government backtracked and canceled the implementation of the budget. However, this "has been a turning point for Generation Z," explains Teodora, also from Sofia. "Every day more of us are joining this movement, and I believe that together we can achieve results." It's no longer just about the budget: what young Bulgarians are demanding, supported by a social majority that hadn't mobilized in over a decade, is an end to corruption and a government that has "hijacked the state."

Control of the country has been in the hands of the coalition formed by the populist GERB, the pro-Russian socialists, and the nationalists of There Is Such a People—with the support of oligarch Delyan Peevski's New Beginning party—since last year, when the populists won the parliamentary elections.

The ruling party, GERB, and its long-time leader, Boyko Borisov, have faced a long list of corruption allegations for years. Among the most notorious cases are the 2022 arrest of Borisov—later declared illegal due to procedural errors—scandals involving the mismanagement of European funds, irregularities in major infrastructure contracts, and the release of recordings and photographs showing bundles of cash and gold bars. Added to this are allegations of cronyism, a lack of transparency in party financing, and persistent criticism of the judicial system's lack of independence, which has fueled a perception among Bulgarian society of structural corruption and impunity at the highest levels of power. Not surprisingly, Bulgaria is ranked as the second most corrupt country in the European Union, surpassed only by Hungary, according to Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. "We started protesting because we're fed up with the corruption in our country; we want a future in our country. If we don't stop these corrupt parties now, they'll completely take over the country and ruin our future. We hope that everything can change if we stay united no matter what, but unfortunately, previous generations have shown us that nothing has changed over the years; on the contrary, the situation has worsened."

Convictions for corruption

But Borisov isn't the only one blamed for this situation; Delyan Peevski, a business magnate and leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms—part of the governing coalition—is the name most frequently associated with the protests demanding his resignation. Peevski has been linked for years to scandals involving control of media conglomerates, alleged networks of political and economic patronage, and accusations of undue influence over state institutions. In 2021, he was sanctioned by the United States under the Magnitsky Act for "significant corruption," which reinforced his image as an emblem of the untouchable elite.

"The fact that Delyan Peevski is a Magnitsky sanctioned member of Parliament should tell us enough about how flawed the system is. Of course, he's not the only problem, but he's probably the biggest. We mustn't forget Boyko Borisov, who is also to blame for how things work in the country, and for those close to him," Teodora analyzes.

For this generation of young people, tired of the same old corrupt politicians, these names represent what they call a "hijacked state": an informal network of power in which oligarchs and politicians influence public decisions without accountability. Now, Bulgaria's Generation Z doesn't intend to give up. The goal is clear and is displayed on the banners piling up outside Parliament: "End the Borisov-Peevski model." "After so many years of corruption, oppression, lies, and false promises, we young people must regain hope and show the world that there is light at the end of the tunnel if we stay united. This time we won't stop until they're gone," Teodora affirms with conviction.