http://dx.doi.org/10.59704/12b0b834da187d02 https://verfassungsblog.de/bulgaria-referendum-euro/ Populism over Principle - Bulgaria’s Euro Referendum and the Limits of Populist Constitutionalism Thavard, Blaga eng 2025-06-05 electronic resource text/html ddc:342 Bulgaria Euro European Union Populist Constitutionalism Radew Rumen | 1963– | Generalmajor; Politiker Referendum Radew Rumen | 1963– | Generalmajor; Politiker Verfassungsblog Verfassungsblog--2366-7044 CC BY-SA 4.0 As EU officials arrive in Sofia to celebrate Bulgaria’s readiness for euro adoption, nationalist-fueled protests erupt in the streets. The tensions were triggered by President Rumen Radev’s unexpected call for a referendum on whether the country should join the euro on 1 January 2026 – despite Bulgaria having met all convergence criteria after years of effort. Far from a genuine democratic impulse, the move appears to be a populist gamble, trading legal commitments and European credibility for short-term political gain.