The constitutional process for forming a new government is expected to begin after January 5, when the procedure for handing out parliamentary mandates officially starts. According to the established order, the first attempt to form a cabinet will be entrusted to the largest parliamentary group, GERB, led by Boyko Borissov.
If GERB fails to secure parliamentary support, the mandate will pass to the second-largest political force, “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB). Should this attempt also prove unsuccessful, the president will designate one of the remaining parliamentary groups to make a third and final effort to form a government.
In the event that all three exploratory mandates are returned unfulfilled, the head of state will dissolve parliament, appoint a caretaker government, and call early parliamentary elections. Although the duration of each stage may vary, expectations are that the entire process will be completed within less than a month, with all mandates returned in that timeframe.
If consultations conclude toward the end of January and elections are scheduled roughly two months later, the most likely dates for the early vote are March 22, March 29, or April 5. The latter date coincides with Palm Sunday, which could be a factor in the final decision.
At the same time, there is growing discussion about the possibility of the opposition seeking an extraordinary session of the National Assembly. The aim would be to debate a draft proposal to lift the parliamentary immunity of Boyko Borissov and Delyan Peevski. An attempt to place the issue on the agenda was made earlier but was rejected due to procedural deadlines not having expired. If an extraordinary sitting is requested, it is expected to take place on Monday, January 22.