SOFIA — Bulgaria’s ex-president Rumen Radev, a euroskeptic former fighter pilot who opposes military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Moscow, hailed a “victory of hope” after his coalition topped the eighth parliamentary elections in five years on Monday. Bulgarians went to the polls on Sunday in the eighth parliamentary election in five years, with Radev, the clear frontrunner, promising to stamp out corruption and end a spiral of weak, short-lived governments.Pro-Russian Radev stepped down from the presidency in January to run in the election, which comes after mass protests forced out the previous government in December. A slick social media campaign, deep coffers and a pledge of stability have boosted Radev’s support in the Balkan country of about 6.5 million, where voters are weary of repeated snap polls and a small group of veteran politicians widely seen as corrupt. “We need, finally, a path to democratic, modern European Bulgaria,” Radev, 62, said after casting his ballot in Sofia. “We need our very robust program in the parliament to support the Bulgarian citizens to get out as soon as possible of this very difficult situation.” More than 60% (60.79) of the votes have been counted as of Monday morning, according to the Central Electoral Commission official results website, putting Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria (PB) party in the lead, securing around 45% of the votes, an absolute majority of at least 132 seats in the 240-seat parliament. The European Union’s poorest member has seen successive governments since 2021, when anti-graft rallies brought down the conservative administration of pro-European leader Boyko Borissov. PB came in well ahead of the liberal PP-DB coalition, which stood at roughly 15% (14.26), and Borissov’s GERB party, had only 13%, according to the electoral commission. “PB has won unequivocally, a victory of hope over distrust, a victory of freedom over fear,” Radev told reporters outside his party’s office in Sofia. He said Bulgaria would “make every effort to continue on its European path”. “But believe me, a strong Bulgaria and a strong Europe need critical thinking and pragmatism. Europe has fallen victim to its own ambition to be a moral leader in a world with new rules,” the former air force general added. Radev’s political stance has drawn considerable attention internationally. During his presidency, he repeatedly opposed sending military aid to Ukraine and has been critical of European Union policies in that regard. He has often argued that supporting Ukraine risks drawing Bulgaria into the conflict. The former president has also called for dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which has contributed to his reputation as being sympathetic to Russia. — Agencies
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