Political Reactions from GERB–UDF after the April 19 Early Elections

GERB-UDF and We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria changed places as second and third political forces during the vote count, although the race did not come down to a photo finish. GERB ultimately secured second place, but compared with the 2024 elections the party has lost more than 200,000 votes.

So far, reactions from GERB have been limited to social media, with the party leadership awaiting final results.

Party leader Boyko Borissov thanked supporters in a Facebook post and congratulated the winner, saying the party had already drawn its conclusions following the resignation of the Zhelyazkov cabinet.

“Thank you for every vote for GERB. I congratulate the winner. Our assessment is clear and was made as early as the resignation of the Zhelyazkov cabinet. No coalitions and no unprincipled alliances — GERB will not participate in coalitions, clearly and unequivocally,” he wrote.

Borissov added that winning an election and governing are two different things.

“Winning an election is one thing; governing is quite another. Elections decide who comes first, but negotiations will decide who governs. GERB can be both in government and in opposition. In politics, as in life, patience is required,” he said.

Deputy chairman of GERB, Tomislav Donchev, also commented on social media, saying elections do not mark either an end or a beginning, but rather “the arrival of truth”.

He argued that in an unstable global environment Bulgaria does not need experiments or a change of direction, particularly at what he described as the final stage of its long path towards full European integration.

Tomislav Donchev, deputy chairman of GERB:

“After elections comes neither the end nor the beginning. What comes is the truth — the one we have failed to see behind cheap insinuations, careless talk and glossy illusions. Wise are those who recognise it before making their choice. There are truths which, if not seen in time, are paid for dearly — with ruin.”

He added:

“Today, in a shaken global order, Bulgaria does not need experiments. Bulgaria does not need a change of direction, especially now — at the final stretch after a long and hard road to Europe. Bulgaria does not need young people to learn the hard way that the freedom and European path they have today are not a given and can be lost. After full European integration, Bulgaria needs stability and order in order to take advantage of the opportunities for growth that the European path provides.”

Denitsa Sacheva also congratulated the winning party, describing the trust placed in it by voters as a “great responsibility” and expressing hope it would be justified in the interest of Bulgaria.