Progressive Bulgaria, the party led by former President Rumen Radev, is on course to win the Bulgaria general elections after securing 44.7% of the vote with 91.7% of ballots counted.
- Progressive Bulgaria is projected to win approximately 130 seats in the 240-seat parliament.
- The result follows a period of intense political instability, marking the eighth election in five years.
- The victory puts Rumen Radev ahead of the PP-DB coalition and the center-right GERB party.
The performance is considered better than expected and represents one of the largest parliamentary mandates for any single party in recent years.
The results place Progressive Bulgaria significantly ahead of the pro-European We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) coalition and the center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Political Crisis and Stability
This snap vote follows the resignation of a conservative-led government in December amid nationwide anti-corruption protests. Bulgaria, the EU’s poorest member, has faced a persistent political crisis since 2021 when the government of Boyko Borissov was toppled during similar rallies.
A member of NATO, Bulgaria also joined the border-free Schengen travel area and entered the eurozone on January 1.
Rumen Radev expressed hope that this outcome would end the country’s political impasse. “We will do everything possible not to allow us to go (to elections) again. It is ruinous for Bulgaria,” Radev said following the polls.
Profile of Rumen Radev
Radev, a 62-year-old former air force general, served as president of Bulgaria for nine years before stepping down in January to run for parliament.
The center-left leader has pledged to combat the country’s “oligarchic governance model.” During the campaign, he urged mass voter turnout as the only method to “drown vote-buying in a sea of free votes.”
Regarding foreign policy, Radev has advocated for renewed ties with Russia and expressed criticism of military aid to Ukraine. However, he has officially denounced the invasion of Ukraine and stated he would not use a veto to block EU aid to Kyiv.
Radev also opposes the EU’s green energy policy, describing the initiative as naive.
Opposition Response
Former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov initially appeared pessimistic while casting his vote, stating that GERB would not enter into any coalitions and would instead act as a constructive opposition on geopolitical and national defense issues.
Borissov later shifted his tone, noting that while elections determine who finishes first, negotiations determine who actually governs. He emphasized that GERB remains capable of entering government or staying in opposition.
Borissov, who served three terms as prime minister, pointed to his party’s record during the campaign, specifically citing Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone this year.
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