Former President Rumen Radev wins absolute majority and promises to end five years of political instability and corruption in the EU’s poorest country
O ex-president Rumen Radeva Euroskeptic in favor of resumption of dialogue with Russiawon the absolute majority in legislative elections in Bulgaria as a promise of end corruption ea political instability in the poorest country in the European Union (EU).
Moscow welcomed Radev’s electoral victory.
“Certainly, Radev’s words (…) as well as those of other European leaders about the desire to resolve problems through dialogue please us,” declared Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Radev and said she looked forward “with interest to working together for the prosperity and security of Bulgaria and Europe”. Bulgaria “plays an important role in resolving our common challenges”, he said.
Radev’s party, “Progressive Bulgaria”, received 44.7% of the votes in the elections on Sunday (19), according to the official results after 91.7% of the ballots were counted. With this percentage, the legend should win almost 130 of the 240 seats not Parliament.
The result offers the small Balkan country the possibility of forming a Stable Executiveafter eight elections in five years and fragile coalition governments.
Radev, president between 2017 and 2026, surpassed the conservatives (GERB) of former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov and the liberals of PP-DB, who received, respectively, 13.4% and 13.2% of the votes.
“We have overcome apathy,” Radev told his supporters on Sunday. “It is a victory of hope over distrust, a victory of freedom over fear.”
The future head of Government stated that the country “will make efforts to continue on its European path”, but that “critical spirit and pragmatism” are necessary.
Before the elections, Radev declared that he is opposed to sending weapons to Ukrainewhich has been at war against Russia since Moscow invaded its territory, because it does not see what interest “your poor country can have in paying”. But he rules out using the right of veto to block EU decisions.
Political scientist Teodor Slavev explained to AFP that Radev won over “the electorate of the pro-Kremlin Renaissance party thanks to his open positions towards the Russians and against the elites”.
According to polls, a portion of pro-Western voters also voted for him.
In 2021, large demonstrations against corruption led to the downfall of Borisov, who had been prime minister for almost 10 years. Since then, the country has been governed by a succession of fragile coalitions.
Radev, former Air Force general, promises end the political crisis.
Bulgaria has “a historic opportunity to break once and for all with the oligarchic model,” Radev said on Sunday.
*With information from AFP
