The results of Bulgaria’s last election in June were inconclusive, with no party strong enough to form a majority government. Subsequent talks between numerous parties failed to form a coalition.

Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva was selected by Rumen Radev, the Bulgarian President, to replace Dimitar Glavchev, the current caretaker prime minister, who held the post for only four months after being appointed to the post in April following the collapse of the then government.

Glavchev resigned from the post, saying that he did not want to lead the interim government through another election.

Grancharova-Kozhareva now has until August 19 to present plans for organizing the upcoming general election. She also has to try and form a working cabinet, which is considered to be a challenging prospect given the numerous and sometimes bitter rifts running through Bulgarian politics.

Bulgaria has suffered from political instability since anti-corruption protests in 2020 led to the collapse of its coalition government.

The successive elections and the lack of a government strong enough to survive for more than a few months in office have meant a number of pressing issues faced by the country have gone unaddressed.

In particular, corruption, which has plagued the Balkan country since the fall of communism in 1989, remains a scourge.

A Transparency International report last year ranked Bulgaria as one of Europe’s most corrupt countries, saying that “Bulgaria’s significant problems with rule of law and oligarchic influence remain”.