Progressive Bulgaria, led by former President Rumen Radev, achieved a decisive victory in Bulgaria’s snap general election, official results showed. The party secured 44.6% of the vote, putting it on course for roughly 130 seats in the 240-seat parliament — one of the largest parliamentary mandates in recent Bulgarian history.
Progressive Bulgaria finished well ahead of the pro-European We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) coalition and the long-dominant center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Both the EU and Russia responded to the outcome. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was “impressed by the statements made by Mr Radev.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Radev, noting Bulgaria’s role in addressing shared challenges and saying she looked forward to working together.
The snap vote followed the resignation of a conservative-led government amid nationwide anti-corruption protests last December. Bulgaria, the EU’s poorest member and a NATO member, has faced a political crisis since 2021 and has now held eight national elections in five years. The country joined the eurozone on January 1 and recently entered the Schengen travel area.
After polls closed, Radev vowed to avoid another election, calling repeated voting “ruinous for Bulgaria.” He urged high turnout as a way to drown out vote-buying.
Who is Rumen Radev?
Rumen Radev, 62, a former air force general and president for nine years, stepped down in January to run in the snap election. Leading a newly formed center-left grouping, he campaigned on fighting what he described as an “oligarchic governance model.” Radev has called for renewed ties with Russia and has been critical of some EU policies, including green energy measures he deems unrealistic. He has criticized military aid to Ukraine but has officially denounced Russia’s invasion and said he would not use Bulgaria’s veto to block EU assistance to Kyiv.
Borissov and GERB
Voting in Bankya on the outskirts of Sofia, Boyko Borissov initially appeared pessimistic about GERB’s prospects and said his party would not join coalitions, positioning itself as a constructive opposition focused on geopolitics and national defense. Later, Borissov adopted a more measured tone, noting that winning elections differs from forming government and that GERB could either govern or oppose, stressing patience in political negotiations. During the campaign he highlighted GERB’s record, including Bulgaria’s recent entry into the eurozone.
Background
The election was prompted by broad anti-corruption protests and the collapse of the previous conservative-led administration. Many hope the new mandate will end the political stalemate that has affected Bulgaria for years. Edited by Sean Sinico and Wesley Dockery.