Progessive Bulgaria, led by pro-Russian Eurosceptic Rumen Radev is on track to form Bulgaria’s next government, after official results showed a runaway victory for the coalition in the Balkan nation's parliamentary elections on Monday (20 April).
Radev's three party coalition, formed to contest the election, had 44.7% of the vote after 91.7% of ballots were counted, surpassing expectations.
Polls leading up to the election indicated the coalition led by the ex-fighter pilot was expected to pick up 30% of votes.
Radev’s coalition looks set to clear the 120-seat mark required in Bulgaria’s 240-member parliament to form a government, without having to rely on other parties.
"This is a victory of hope over distrust, a victory of freedom over fear, and finally, if you will, a victory of morality," Radev told a press conference late on Sunday.
In his victory speech, Radev said he aimed to build “a strong Bulgaria and a strong Europe,” calling for “critical thinking, pragmatic actions and good results.”
He stressed the need to rebuild Europe’s security architecture and strengthen industrial competitiveness.
Radev ran on an anti-corruption platform, pledging to “root out the mafia and kick out the oligarchs” amid continued political instability in the country.
Speaking to AnewZ, Angel Petrov, journalist at Dnevnik, said the result represents both disruption and continuity in Bulgaria’s political system.
He said the election outcome “will change everything and nothing at the same time,” noting that while the political elite will be reshaped, it remains unclear whether Radev has “the expertise, the nerve, the guts to reform a highly personalised system.”
Petrov stressed that real political power in Bulgaria extends beyond central government, pointing to entrenched local structures.
“Until local elections come and his power is tested at the local level, we don’t know how powerful he is,” the analyst said, despite the coalition’s strong parliamentary mandate.
He added that Radev employs dual messaging- a more critical tone for domestic audiences and a more pragmatic, EU-facing approach internationally.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he had spoken with Radev following the election and expressed hope for continued cooperation on shared security challenges.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković described the result as a “convincing victory,” highlighting continued EU and bilateral cooperation.
The election marks Bulgaria’s eighth parliamentary vote since 2021, reflecting persistent political fragmentation and declining voter engagement.
Turnout stood at 34.63%, according to the Central Election Commission, lower than previous elections and highlighting growing political fatigue in the country of 6.5 million.
Despite economic growth, Bulgaria continues to face structural governance challenges and slow institutional reform.
Radev, a former Air Force commander and Bulgaria’s president from 2017 until his resignation in 2026, launched the Progressive Bulgaria coalition earlier this year to enter parliamentary politics and position himself as a future prime minister.
He has criticised EU military support for Ukraine, calling it a “doomed cause,” and expressed skepticism over euro adoption, raising concerns among Western partners.
The Kremlin on Monday welcomed his position, saying it was impressed by his “desire to resolve issues with Russia via pragmatic talks.”
The visit also took on symbolic importance as the two leaders travelled to the liberated cities of Shusha and Fuzuli, areas Azerbaijan regained after ...
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said talks between the United States and Iran had made "good progress", with both sides set to estab...
South Korea has announced it will accept North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia if they wish to relocate...
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited...
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal ...
The visit also took on symbolic importance as the two leaders travelled to the liberated cities of Shusha and Fuzuli, areas Azerbaijan regained after decades of occupation.
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said talks between the United States and Iran had made "good progress", with both sides set to establish working groups in the coming days to discuss sanctions relief and issues related to Iran's nuclear programme.
South Korea has announced it will accept North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia if they wish to relocate to the South, citing international law and opposition to forced repatriation.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Three students have been killed and at least seven injured after two of their peers opened fire in a high school in the Philippines, police said. A spokesperson for the police said the two suspects, aged 14 and 15, had been arrested and a police pistol confiscated. Bullying is a possible motive.
South Korea has announced it will accept North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia if they wish to relocate to the South, citing international law and opposition to forced repatriation.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
A shooting in Montreal, Canada has left three people dead, including a police officer, a civilian and the suspected attacker, police said.
Attendees at undeclared free parties in France could face on-the-spot fines of €1,500 ($1,713) or up to six months in prison under proposed new legislation currently being reviewed by the French National Assembly.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment