Last Sunday, Bulgarians went to the polls for the eighth time in just five years. The country, plagued by years of political instability, corruption and economic woes, gave a clear message of change. <\/b><\/p>\n
The centre-left coalition Progressive Bulgaria<\/b> of former president, Rumen Radev<\/b>, achieved a solid government victory, garnering some 44.5% of the vote<\/b> and securing an absolute majority with 131 seats in the 240-member parliament. <\/p>\n
Radef stepped down from the presidency in January to lead the new formation. His victory came as a result of a generalized disdain for traditional parties. Boiko Borissov’s GERB<\/b>, which had dominated for years, was reduced to 13%, while the reformist PPP-DB<\/b> alliance took about 13.6%. The fundamentalist DPS<\/b> and the far-right Revival<\/b> also entered parliament, but with smaller percentages. Turnout reached 48%, significantly higher than in the previous election. <\/p>\n
The previous Zeliazkov (GERB)<\/b> government resigned in December 2025 after massive budget protests and corruption charges. Voters, tired of weak alliances and economic stagnation, turned to Radev with the promise of stability, fighting corruption and social reforms.<\/p>\n
Now, with self-reliance, Radev can form a one-party government and end the cycle of early elections. Domestically immediate measures are expected to strengthen the rule of law, reduce bureaucracy and improve public services. <\/b>He declared “a victory of hope over suspicion.”<\/p>\n
But abroad, the victory raises questions. Radev has been labelled pro-Russian<\/b>: he has criticised the EU over sanctions against Moscow and has advocated renewed relations with Russia. This may lead to a more neutral stance on Ukraine, changes in energy policy (Bulgaria is still dependent on Russian gas) and friction with Brussels<\/b>, which, after Orban’s defeat last week, may have found a new headache for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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