Just a week ago, most European leaders celebrated Peter Magyar’s victory in the Hungarian elections and the end of 16 years of Viktor Orbán’s mandate. This Monday, alarm bells are going off again in the European Union. A new pro-Russian leader will likely sit on the European Council: the future Bulgarian prime minister, Rumen Radev.
Radev has achieved an overwhelming victory. With almost 45% of the votes, It will be the first time since 1997 that a party wins enough seats to govern alone. This marks a radical shift in Bulgaria, which has gone to the polls eight times in the last five years. But for the EU it is, predictably, a new headache.
Bulgaria in the EU
The future Bulgarian prime minister assured after his victory that “the people rejected complacency and arrogance of traditional parties and did not fall prey to lies or manipulations.” He also assured that he will build a strong Bulgaria “in a strong Europe”.
But like Orbán, Radev has a very specific vision of what that strength translates into. The Bulgarian is opposed to giving military aid to kyiv and sanctions against the Kremlinand defends the need to reestablish diplomatic and commercial relations with Moscow.
However, unlike his Hungarian colleague, these issues they have not been at the center of his campaign. Although he has also shown his rejection of the euro, which Bulgaria adopted only a few months ago, Radev has put above all the focus on the fight against corruption. This now gives it some room for maneuver in its European and foreign policy.
Pragmatism vs sectarianism
“What Europe needs right now is critical thinking, pragmatic actions and good resultsespecially to build a new security architecture and recover its industrial power and competitiveness” Radev insisted. “That will be Bulgaria’s main contribution to its European mission,” he added.
Brussels prefers not to anticipate. Radev is not the only populist, pro-Russian leader in the bloc. Robert Fico in Slovenia and Andrej Babis in the Czech Republic They have similar visions. And although Fico has given his support to Orbán on occasions, he has also shown be more pragmatic and less disruptive than Hungarian.
“Let’s say that [el presidente ruso Vladímir] Putin “He’s probably not disappointed by that result.”has recognized Sophia Russack, researcher at the European Center for Political Studies (CEPS) in an interview with EL PERIÓDICO. “We could see similar behavior, say, from abuse of veto, destructive“, he said, although at the same time, he pointed out that Radev does not have the experience of Orbán.
However, Congratulations to Radev have not been as numerous or as heartfelt as to Magyar. ““Bulgaria is a proud member of the European family and plays an important role in solving our common challenges,” he said in a social media post. the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenwho has said that he hopes to work with the Bulgarian “for the prosperity and security of Bulgaria and Europe.”
The president of the European Council, Antonio Costahas called Radez to congratulate him on his “resounding victory.” The Portuguese has urged him to work together “for a prosperous, autonomous and secure Europe”. The next few weeks will determine how easy that job will be.
Just a symptom
“It’s a bit ironic. A week ago, we were all happy,” he acknowledged. Russack. But for the researcher this is actually just a symptom “that reveals that “The problem has never been Orbán, but rather unanimity.”.
The president of the Commission herself recognized after Magyar’s victory in Hungary that the change was necessary. “Move towards the vote for qualified majority in foreign policy It is an important way of avoid systemic blockagesas we have seen in the past,” von der Leyen said.
To Russack It is a problem of political will. In a world plunged into chaos where the European Union is looking for its place, These reforms are more necessary and, at the same time, much more difficult than ever. This chaos “exposes underlying deficiencies, but also diverts attention from the reform,” the researcher noted. “The focus is on the most pressing problem,” like the energy crisis, he added, “and not in institutional reform.”
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