"This article examines the Office of the National Ombudsman as a possible channel for the exercise of citizen's participation in democratic life in Bulgaria. Evidence in this direction is derived from the legally established possibilities and actions of the Office itself, as well as from the results of an empirical study based on in-depth interviews conducted with the occupiers of the position of the National Ombudsman as well as representatives of collective civil society organisations. The exercise of civic participation through the Office is illustrated by describing a case drawn from Bulgarian practice – the protests of workers and employees in defence of their rights to unpaid wages and other compensation in 2017 – which resulted in changes to the legislation championed by the Ombudsman. The Office is not above criticism and the article concludes with some suggestions for how the relationship with civil society could be improved and how the Office could better achieve its goals of strengthening civic life and, in particular, the perception among citizens that they do have the power to influence decision-making within the country. "

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