Retrospection 2025 Bulgaria – overwhelmed by political pessimism and a crisis of confidence

Among all the countries surveyed (March 2025, EU initiative, a national representative survey conducted by LOGO Research in Bulgaria), the country stands out as the clearest example of public disillusionment with domestic politics. Almost nine out of ten Bulgarians (89%) believe that recent domestic political developments have had a negative impact. No other country in the comparison comes close to this level of dissatisfaction.

What makes Bulgaria’s case particularly striking is not just the scale of negativity, but the absence of alternative views. Only 2.5% of respondents see a positive impact, while 5.4% believe politics has had no real effect on their lives. Even uncertainty is minimal, with just 2.9% saying they “don’t know.” In other words, opinions are not only negative—they are decisive and deeply entrenched.

This pattern suggests more than temporary frustration.

Unlike countries where large “no impact” shares hint at apathy or disengagement, Bulgarians clearly feel that politics matters—and that it is harming rather than helping. Years of political instability, repeated elections, fragile coalitions, and low trust in institutions appear to have translated into a widespread sense that the political system is failing to deliver.

It is a crisis of confidence rather than simple dissatisfaction.

For Bulgaria, domestic politics is not seen as a neutral background or a source of gradual progress, but as an active obstacle to stability and development. If public trust is to be rebuilt, meaningful reforms and visible results will be essential—because right now, the message from Bulgarian society is unambiguous.

And yes, the chart is as ugly as the Bulgarian political situation itself.