Is Bulgaria headed toward a new Viktor Orban-style rule, or will entrenched corruption finally be tackled? Those questions dominate coverage after former president Rumen Radev’s new party, Progressive Bulgaria — an alliance of three small parties he assembled in weeks — won the parliamentary election on April 19 and is poised to hold an absolute majority.
Radev kept many plans vague during the campaign, leaving observers unsure about his policy priorities and potential partners. His biography and past positions, however, offer clues.
Who is Rumen Radev?
Born in Haskovo near the Turkish border in 1963, Radev aimed for an aviation career from childhood. He began pilot training in 1987 under the communist regime, completed officer training in the United States in 1992 after Bulgaria’s democratization, and became Commander of the Bulgarian Air Force in 2005, a year after Bulgaria joined NATO. He first ran for president in 2016, nominated by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), successor to the communist-era party.
Kremlin links and influence
Radev’s 2016 candidacy was later publicly discussed by Leonid Reshetnikov, a former Russian intelligence-linked figure, who said he had talked with BSP leaders about supporting Radev. Since then, media and public attention have questioned possible ties between Radev and Moscow — a scrutiny that intensified after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Reporting has alleged that Radev’s campaign benefited from networks of former Bulgarian military officers with connections to Russian military intelligence and that Russian disinformation is pervasive in Bulgaria. Brussels set up a special unit with Sofia’s foreign ministry to counter potential Russian meddling, a move Radev criticized as EU interference.
Stance on Ukraine and EU policy
Radev’s positions on Ukraine have been controversial. In a 2021 debate he initially characterized Crimea as “currently Russian,” later clarifying that Crimea belongs to Ukraine but is under Russian control. After Russia’s 2022 invasion, he called for Russia to stop its operations but increasingly criticized Ukraine and the EU. Radev argued military support for Kyiv prolongs the war, called Ukrainian counteroffensives a mistake, and labeled politicians sending arms to Ukraine “warmongers.” Those views raise the prospect that Radev could challenge Bulgaria’s pro-European policies on Ukraine or even attempt to block common EU decisions on Ukraine, reminiscent of how Hungary’s Viktor Orban at times vetoed EU initiatives.
Is he the next Orban?
Analysts caution against directly equating Radev with Orban or Slovakia’s Robert Fico. Still, the prevalence of Russian propaganda and disinformation in Bulgaria, and alleged back-channel influence, are viewed as significant democratic risks. Radev framed some EU efforts to counter disinformation as undue interference in Bulgarian elections. Journalistic and intelligence reports pointing to pro-Russian networks supporting Radev’s campaign have intensified concern.
Anti-corruption rhetoric and potential reforms
Radev supported the large anti-corruption, anti-government protests that erupted in 2021, joining demonstrators’ “Let’s get rid of the mafia!” chants aimed at figures such as former prime minister Boyko Borissov and Delyan Peevski, accused of corruption and judicial capture. The US and UK have sanctioned Peevski for alleged corruption, and ALDE expelled his party, which then withdrew. The 2021 protests helped propel the pro-European, liberal, anti-corruption We Continue the Change party into politics; its leaders, Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev, later served in an interim government appointed by Radev.
Will Radev act on corruption?
Radev could seek cooperation with the pro-European alliance of We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) to secure a qualified majority that would allow him to replace judges and officials he deems linked to Borissov and Peevski. That would signal a substantive anti-corruption push. Yet Radev’s ambiguous positions on Russia and Ukraine complicate potential alliances and raise questions about broader foreign policy direction.
Political partners and limits
Radev has shown no inclination to cooperate with the nationalist, pro-Russia Revival party, which will also sit in the next parliament. How he balances domestic anti-corruption aims with his foreign-policy posture — particularly toward Ukraine and the EU — will determine whether his government tilts Bulgaria toward a more illiberal, Russia-leaning path or uses its parliamentary power to break entrenched corruption and strengthen democratic institutions.
This article was originally published in German.