Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said on Monday (19 January) that he will resign from office, a move that has fuelled speculation he may form a political party ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.
Speaking publicly, Radev said he would submit his resignation on Tuesday (20 January), bringing an early end to a presidency that was due to run until January 2027.
He accused Bulgaria’s political class of betraying public trust and said the country needed a new political contract, warning that democracy would not survive if left in the hands of what he described as corrupt figures and extremists.
Radev, who has expressed scepticism about Bulgaria's recent move to join the euro and has taken Kremlin-friendly positions on the war in Ukraine and on sanctions against Russia, was elected president in 2016 and again in 2021.
But he has long floated the possibility of forming his own party to bring stability and fight graft in one of the European Union's poorest and most corrupt countries.
“Today’s political class has betrayed Bulgarians’ hopes," he said in a speech. "We need a new public contract."
If the resignation is approved by the Constitutional Court, Radev will be replaced by Vice President Iliana Iotova, who would serve as interim head of state until presidential elections in November.
His decision comes amid a prolonged political crisis, with Bulgaria heading towards its eighth parliamentary election in four years following the collapse of the previous government last month.
Analysts say that while Radev has popular support, he is unlikely to win an outright majority if he forms a new party and runs in elections.
A nationwide poll published last week by Bulgarian consultancy Market Links said that 44% of respondents trusted Radev, versus 34% who did not.
Market Links Managing Director Dobromir Zhivkov said Radev would likely get somewhere between 20% and 35% of the votes in a parliamentary election and would have to seek a coalition partner, which could be the reformist PP-DB party.
PP-DB will likely be uncomfortable with Radev's Kremlin-friendly stance against sending military aid to the war effort in Ukraine, which he has described as "doomed". His scepticism about joining the euro, which Bulgaria did on 1 January, could also be a sticking point.
The United States launched fresh strikes on Iranian drone targets near Bandar Abbas after intercepting attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz, raisin...
The Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps of Iran (IRGC) said it carried out a retaliatory attack on a U.S. airbase in the early hours of Thursday. The ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections on 7 June, back...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 28 May, covering the latest developments you need to know....
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she discussed Ukraine’s path to European Union membership with President Volodymyr Zelen...
The United States launched fresh strikes on Iranian drone targets near Bandar Abbas after intercepting attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz, raising tensions despite an existing ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps of Iran (IRGC) said it carried out a retaliatory attack on a U.S. airbase in the early hours of Thursday. The airbase was used to target a ground control station on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport in Hormuzgan Province, which faces the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections on 7 June, backing the leader as the country moves closer to the West and further away from Russia.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 28 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Chinese investigators have uncovered hidden tunnels, missing worker trackers and fake underground walls during an initial investigation into the country’s deadliest mining disaster in more than 15 years.
Dozens of people were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanese officials said, straining a fragile ceasefire agreed between the countries in April. The attacks came as Iran accused the U.S. of violating a separate ceasefire with strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.
The visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Armenia marks one of the clearest signs yet of Washington’s growing interest in the South Caucasus.
As climate pressures and urbanisation accelerate worldwide, governments are increasingly investing in smart cities and villages to build more sustainable and resilient communities. Across the world, digital technologies are reshaping how cities and rural areas are planned and managed.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 28 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she discussed Ukraine’s path to European Union membership with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Brussels signals key weeks ahead for accession talks.
The World Health Organization has urged warring parties in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to agree to an immediate ceasefire as an Ebola outbreak spreads rapidly in conflict-hit regions.
Authorities in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey have launched a formal probe into FIFA’s ticketing practices for the 2026 World Cup, citing allegations of misleading pricing, dynamic pricing concerns, and seat allocation complaints.
China’s carbon emissions grew far less than previously thought over the past five years, according to a new analysis that is drawing close attention from climate researchers worldwide.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment