EditBulgaria’s ruling party endorses the anti-Pride march
Rumen Radev's "Progressive Bulgaria" aligns with conservative groups as the Sofia Pride faces severe funding cuts
Bulgaria’s political landscape reached a new milestone of polarization this week as the ruling “Progressive Bulgaria” party issued a formal parliamentary declaration endorsing the annual “March for the Family.” The move marks the first time a mainstream governing force in post-communist Bulgaria has officially aligned itself with a rally explicitly positioned as a counterpoint to Sofia Pride.
Progressive Bulgaria (PB) is led by Rumen Radev, who resigned as the country’s president to enter party politics and secured a full parliamentary majority in the snap elections on 19 April.
The declaration, read from the National Assembly rostrum by Deputy Chairman of PB parliamentary group Slavi Vasilev, framed the traditional family as a “pillar of national security, identity, and future” amidst what he described as a period of “value disorientation and severe demographic crisis.”
‘Upholding family’
“We choose to stand behind the values of the silent majority who seek to uphold tradition, family, and faith, rather than deconstruct them, as has become fashionable lately,” Vasilev stated. He emphasized that the party’s mandate was a reflection of citizens’ desire for protection against “external ideological pressure,” particularly regarding parental rights and the upbringing of children.
The declaration asserts that the state must recognize marriage exclusively as a voluntary union between a man and a woman, citing the Bulgarian Constitution. It calls on all political forces in the National Assembly to prioritize support for young and large families through economic measures, framing the “March for the Family” as the voice of a populace concerned with maintaining the nation’s foundational structures.
Institutional “exclusion”
The government’s endorsement has triggered a sharp backlash from civil society organizations, which fear the move signals a broader shift in state policy toward exclusionary governance.
Sofia Pride organizers and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) issued statements expressing “deep concern,” arguing that the ruling party is using public resources to legitimize intolerance. The BHC noted that while the state has a duty to support families, doing so by marginalizing non-Christian or same-sex households violates both the Bulgarian Constitution and the country’s obligations as an EU member state.
“When a ruling party calls for only one type of family to be ‘protected’ by state institutions, it is not protecting – it is excluding,” the Sofia Pride organisers said in a statement. “It sends a message that other families are less legitimate, less worthy of protection, and less ‘Bulgarian’.”
The BHC further criticized the ruling coalition for being the first in Bulgarian history to openly delineate which groups of society are entitled to state care. “The constitutional order of Bulgaria does not permit state power to divide citizens into a ‘silent majority’ deserving of political representation and other citizens whose rights can be publicly questioned,” the BHC warned, urging the party to clarify whether it intends to uphold non-discrimination mandates.
A Pride in survival mode
The political friction comes at a vulnerable moment for the LGBTQ+ community in Bulgaria. As the capital prepares for the 18th edition of Sofia Pride on 13 June, organisers are openly discussing financial survival.
Once a robust event featuring large concerts and corporate-sponsored platforms, the Pride organization has been forced to scale back significantly. Simeon Vasilev, founder of the GLAS Foundation, cited a dramatic “halving” of the event’s budget following a shift in the international political climate.
According to Vasilev, the withdrawal of support from the U.S. Embassy – which had backed the event for 17 consecutive years, has had a cascading effect on corporate donors. “Some of the biggest corporate donors… have also pulled out,” Vasilev told Mediapool.
While the 2026 Pride will still feature a musical program, organisers fear that if current financial trends continue, the event may eventually be stripped down to a silent march. Despite the loss of several key U.S.-based corporate partners, the event has retained support from a coalition of European embassies, including those of the UK, France, Ireland, and Canada, as well as the Stockholm Pride Solidarity Fund.
The ideological clash between the “March for the Family” and Sofia Pride reflects a deeper trend of political fragmentation across the Balkans and wider Europe. While traditionally such cultural battles were the preserve of ultra-nationalist fringe parties, the decision by “Progressive Bulgaria” to bring this rhetoric into the heart of the legislature suggests that “culture war” issues are becoming central to mainstream political survival.
Sources: BTA, BGNES, BHC, Mediapool.bg
Caption: People attend the Pride Parade in Sofia, Bulgaria 14 June 2025. EPA/VASSIL DONEV
Updated: June 13, 2026 - 06:02
