Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria Secures Landslide in Parliamentary Election
Former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria party has won a landslide victory in Sunday’s parliamentary election, according to near-complete official results. With over 90% of ballots counted, the party stands at 44.7% of the vote, securing an absolute majority in the 240-seat parliament — the first time a single formation has achieved this on its own since 1997.
Radev, a 62-year-old former air force general who stepped down from the largely ceremonial presidency in January to run for parliament, hailed the result as a “victory of hope over distrust, a victory of freedom over fear.” Speaking to reporters in Sofia as projections came in, he said the people had “rejected the complacency and arrogance of the old parties.”
A Shift in Bulgaria’s Political Landscape
The election outcome marks a significant redrawing of Bulgaria’s political map. Established parties that have dominated the country’s politics for decades suffered heavy losses. The center-right GERB party, led by three-time Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, dropped below 20% for the first time in its history, finishing second with 13.4% of the vote. The liberal PP-DB coalition followed closely with 13.2%, while the far-right Vazrazhdane and the Turkish and Roma minority party MRF also cleared the threshold to enter parliament.
In contrast, just five parties are set to enter the new parliament, down from nine after the last election. The result defied pre-election polls that had predicted another fragmented coalition. Official turnout is projected to rise from 39% in 2024 to approximately 50%, the highest since 2021.
Radev has said he is willing to work with other parties to ensure a stable government, but has also not ruled out a minority administration. “We are ready to consider different options so that Bulgaria can have a regular and stable government,” he told reporters on Sunday. He also pledged to make every effort to avoid another snap vote, calling repeated elections “ruinous for Bulgaria.”
Promises of Reform and a Controversial Foreign Policy
Radev’s campaign centered on pledges to fight corruption, tackle inflation, and bring stability to the EU’s poorest member state. “We will do everything possible not to allow us to go to elections again,” he said after polls closed.
But his foreign policy stance has drawn attention and concern. Radev has been described as an EU critic and a eurosceptic who has called for renewing ties with Russia. He opposes military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Moscow — a position that sets him apart from the pro-European mainstream in Bulgaria and could potentially push the EU and NATO member state closer to Moscow.
In his victory speech, Radev said Bulgaria would “make every effort to continue on its European path,” but added: “A strong Bulgaria and a strong Europe need critical thinking and pragmatism. Europe has fallen victim to its own ambition to be a moral leader in a world with new rules.”
End of a Cycle of Instability?
Sunday’s vote was the eighth parliamentary election in five years, a period marked by political turmoil. The crisis began in 2021, when anti-corruption protests toppled Borissov’s conservative government. A subsequent conservative-led government resigned in December following another wave of mass demonstrations, triggering the latest snap poll.
Many voters hope the decisive result will end the cycle of short-lived coalitions that has plagued Bulgaria since 2021. With an absolute majority, Radev’s party could govern alone, providing a level of stability that has been elusive in recent years.
Observers will be watching closely to see how Radev’s government balances domestic reform with the foreign policy challenges ahead, particularly regarding Bulgaria’s relations with its EU and NATO partners and its stance on the war in Ukraine.