Bulgarians cast their ballots on Sunday in the country’s eighth election in five years, with former president Rumen Radev emerging as the frontrunner on a pledge to dismantle what he calls the country’s “oligarchic governance model.”
The European Union’s poorest member has faced chronic political instability since 2021, when mass anti-corruption protests brought down the conservative government of longtime leader Boyko Borissov and triggered a prolonged cycle of fragile coalitions and snap elections.
Radev, who stepped down as president in January after nine years in office, is now leading the newly formed center-left Progressive Bulgaria bloc. Pre-election opinion polls suggested his alliance could secure around 35 percent of the vote.
The former air force general has positioned himself as the face of political change, backing anti-corruption demonstrations in late 2025 that helped topple the latest conservative-backed government.
“I’m voting for change,” 57-year-old voter Decho Kostadinov told AFP after casting his ballot in Sofia, saying corrupt politicians “should leave — they should take whatever they’ve stolen and get out of Bulgaria.”
Polling stations opened at 7 AM local time, with voters lining up before sunrise in parts of the capital. Exit polls were expected immediately after polls closed, while final results were not expected before Monday.
GERB fights to hold ground
Borissov’s pro-European GERB party is projected to finish second with about 20 percent of the vote, ahead of the liberal PP-DB alliance.
“I’m voting to preserve what we have. We are a democratic country, we live well,” said Elena, an accountant in Sofia who declined to give her full name.
Borissov, who dominated Bulgarian politics for nearly a decade, has rejected claims that Radev represents real change, arguing instead that GERB delivered major national milestones, including Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone this year.
Russia, Ukraine, and deep divisions
Radev’s campaign has also stirred controversy over foreign policy.
He has pushed for renewed ties with Russia, opposed military aid to Ukraine and criticised Bulgaria’s recent 10-year defense agreement with Kiev, prompting accusations from rivals that he is too close to Moscow.
Although he says he would not block EU decisions on Ukraine, he has repeatedly condemned Brussels’ green energy agenda and questioned Western policy toward Russia.
At his final campaign rally before the vote, Radev showed images of meetings with global leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, drawing backlash online.
“We need to close ranks,” he told around 10,000 supporters, presenting his party as a clean break from what he described as a corrupt political cartel.
Voter fatigue runs deep
Public trust in politics remains low, with turnout dropping to just 39 percent in the last election in 2024.
Still, analysts expect stronger participation this time as Radev’s campaign energizes disillusioned voters.
Taxi driver Miglena Boyadjieva said she always votes, but remains deeply frustrated.
“The problem is that there is no one to vote for,” she said. “You vote for one person and get others. The system has to change.”
Authorities have also stepped up efforts to curb vote buying ahead of the election, with police seizing more than €1 million in cash and detaining hundreds of people, including local councillors and mayors.
