The current wave of protests across the country is not primarily directed at the government as a whole, but remains focused on specific issues. Votes of no confidence enjoy only limited public support. A majority instinctively supports the idea of a referendum on the adoption of the euro. However, among those who are likely to vote in such a referendum, indecision still prevails regarding the introduction of the single European currency in Bulgaria in 2026.
Most Bulgarians do not consider themselves well-informed about the upcoming liberalization of the electricity market for household consumers. Aggressive behavior and actions among youth and adolescents are perceived by the adult Bulgarian population as a widespread problem. When it comes to road accidents, the public tends to respond with a sense of collective self-blame about driver awareness and responsibility. A comprehensive legislative solution for electric scooters is also expected, although a complete ban on them is largely rejected.
The findings are from an independent poll on current affairs by the polling agency Myara. The survey was conducted between 10 and 13 May among 803 people and represents the views of the adult population of the country.
Myara asked a question regarding the various ongoing protests in the country to determine whether the protest potential is currently directed at those in power or remains centered on specific topics. The responses clearly indicate that, for the time being, the public does not perceive a viable alternative to the current government, and a degree of tolerance toward it persists. The option "At this moment, it makes more sense to protest specific issues" was selected by 62.6% of respondents, while a minority of 30.3% agreed with "At this moment, it makes more sense to protest against the government as a whole." This likely explains the general lack of support for the votes of no confidence in the current government.
Naturally, opinions on this matter are also shaped by support for the opposition parties that initiated the motions — Vazrazhdane, Velichie, and MECH (Morality,Unity, Honour). According to the sociologists, 33.2% of respondents support the no-confidence votes tabled by these parties, while 60.6% do not.
The idea of a referendum on the euro, however, is broadly supported. Such proposals traditionally gain momentum in Bulgaria, and 63.3% of respondents are in favour of holding a referendum, compared to 35.3% who are opposed. As a result, the declared willingness to participate in such a referendum is high, with only about one in ten respondents saying they would either not vote or are undecided.
Predictably, such a level of engagement is unlikely to be fully replicated in practice. If a national referendum were held in Bulgaria with the question "Do you agree that Bulgaria should adopt the single European currency, the euro, in 2026? What would you personally do?", 34.4% say they would vote in favor, while 54.9% say they would vote against. The remaining respondents either would not vote or are undecided.
The data echoes a series of studies conducted over the years. Sociologists note that significantly more public information efforts are needed — especially given Bulgarians’ otherwise very high approval of the European Union overall. Among all geopolitical entities, Bulgarians rank the EU highest in terms of favourable perception. Positive attitudes toward the EU stand at 64.4%, compared to 25.5% negative.
There is also a clear lack of readiness regarding the liberalization of the electricity market. Only 25.3% say “I am rather aware of the upcoming changes,” while 73.7% say “I am rather unaware of the upcoming changes.” Responses to such questions often include a degree of social desirability or declarative bias, but even that does not result in a higher share of people claiming to be informed.
21.7% — or more than one in five — have witnessed incidents of violence among youth and adolescents over the past year. A further 63.5%, or nearly two in three, report having observed behavior among young people in the past 12 months that they would describe as indecent or inappropriate. Additionally, 28.3% — almost one in three — say they have seen aggressive youth gangs during the last year.
According to the sociologists analyzing the data, the problem of aggression among adolescents and young people is clearly perceived by the Bulgarian public as widespread and serious.
Regarding road accidents, a sociological experiment was conducted: respondents were asked to choose only one answer between the options "The blame lies primarily with the conditions and regulations set by the state" and "The blame lies primarily with the drivers themselves and their behavior." In this forced-choice dilemma, 26.5% pointed to the regulatory framework, while 47% blamed the drivers themselves. Another 26.2% said they could not separate one from the other.
Due to the growing number of incidents involving electric scooters, a majority of 68.1% — over two-thirds — support the position that “at this point, it makes the most sense to adopt comprehensive legislative solutions on the matter.” Meanwhile, 25.4% prefer that “municipalities implement specific rules based on local conditions, infrastructure, and capabilities.” Only 4.5% believe no new actions are needed, and the remaining respondents are undecided.
On the question of a full ban, an experimental question revealed that public sentiment leans predominantly against such a restrictive measure. 53.8% of Bulgarians do not support a complete ban on the use of electric scooters, compared to 42.9% who do. 3.3% are unable to form an opinion on the issue.
The data comes from an independent telephone survey conducted by the polling agency Myara between May 10 and 13, 2025, among 803 adult Bulgarian citizens. The maximum standard deviation is ±3.5 percentage points at 50% shares. Each 1% of the sample represents approximately 54,000 people.
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