Pro-Russian former president wins Bulgaria's legislative election by a landslide, with both EU and Russia responding
Reuters, Sofia, April 20 — The pro-Russian former Bulgarian president, Rumen Radev, achieved a decisive victory in the country’s parliamentary elections. He defeated long-dominant traditional political forces and may steer this European Union and NATO member toward a more Moscow-friendly political orientation.
This Bulgarian legislative election marked one of the strongest performances by a single party in a generation, potentially bringing temporary political stability to the country. Over the past five years, Bulgaria has held eight elections.
According to final vote counts, Radev’s "Progressive Bulgaria" party secured 44.6% of the votes, giving it the potential to govern alone. However, Radev did not rule out forming a coalition government with pro-European political forces or smaller parties.
In contrast, the pro-European "We Continue Changing – Democratic Bulgaria" alliance received only 12.6% of the votes, while GERB, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and previously dominant in politics, garnered 13.4%, both falling far behind.
Radev, a former fighter pilot, holds Eurosceptic views and opposes military support for Ukraine. He resigned from his largely ceremonial role as Bulgaria’s president in January this year to run for parliament. His move followed prolonged protests that forced the previous government to resign in December last year.
During the campaign, he capitalized on domestic frustration over political instability. This Balkan nation of about 6.5 million people sees voters increasingly disillusioned with corruption and entrenched political parties that have dominated the scene for decades.
Both the European Union and Russia responded positively to the results of Bulgaria’s legislative election. European Council President António Costa congratulated Radev on social media, expressing hope for cooperation on shared agendas to advance prosperity, autonomy, and security in Europe. Meanwhile, the Kremlin stated it was encouraged by Radev’s willingness to address bilateral relations with Russia through pragmatic dialogue.
During the campaign, Radev advocated improving ties with Moscow and restoring the free flow of Russian oil and gas to Europe—a stance that drew comparisons with Hungary’s former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Additionally, he criticized the EU for its overreliance on renewable energy in its energy policy.
However, Radev has remained vague on specific policy directions. It remains unclear how much adjustment he will make to Bulgaria’s foreign policy. Located on the Black Sea coast at the southeastern edge of the EU, Bulgaria joined the eurozone earlier this year—an decision which Radev had previously criticized.
Analysts generally believe he is unlikely to reverse the adoption of the euro or obstruct the EU’s overall aid package for Ukraine. On Sunday, Radev stated he was open to cooperating with the “We Continue Changing – Democratic Bulgaria” alliance on judicial reforms and emphasized that Bulgaria would continue advancing its European path.
On domestic issues, rising living costs have become increasingly prominent. Since the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, Bulgaria has experienced rapid economic and social development and joined the EU in 2007. Life expectancy has significantly increased, unemployment remains among the lowest in the EU, and economic stability has strengthened following the adoption of the euro.
Yet, on many other indicators, Bulgaria still lags behind the EU average. Particularly after joining the eurozone, rising living costs have become a focal point for public concern. The previous government collapsed under protest pressure over controversial new budget proposals involving tax hikes and increased social security contributions.
Tihomir Bezlov, senior researcher at the Sofia Center for Democracy, noted that the country’s core challenges remain economic crisis and demographic crisis—issues for which the winning coalition has so far offered no clear or robust solutions.
Sources: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863013128762368/
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