Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria Wins 44.7% Vote, On Track for 130-Seat Majority

Bulgaria’s former president, Rumen Radev, and his Progressive Bulgaria party achieved a decisive victory in the recent parliamentary election. This outcome follows a period of political instability, with the nation holding eight elections since 2021. Radev, who resigned earlier this year after nine years as president, ran on an anti-corruption platform.

Progressive Bulgaria won 44.7% of the vote. This result positions Radev to secure approximately 130 seats in the 240-member parliament, giving his party a governing majority. This marks the first time a single political formation has achieved an outright parliamentary majority in Bulgaria since 1997. In contrast, the GERB party garnered 13.4% of the vote, with the liberal PP-DB coalition closely behind at 13.2%. Voter turnout for this election reached its highest point since 2021, signaling increased public engagement. Radev characterized the election as a “victory of hope over distrust and freedom over fear.”

The decisive majority gives Progressive Bulgaria the ability to form a government independently, bypassing the need for complex coalition negotiations that have characterized recent Bulgarian politics. Radev has previously voiced positions critical of the European Union and called for more practical relations with Russia. He also expressed opposition to Bulgaria sending arms to Ukraine, although he stated he would not veto EU decisions on the matter. His administration now faces the challenge of implementing its anti-corruption pledges, with potential judicial reforms drawing particular scrutiny.

Observers will closely watch the first policy decisions of the new government, especially on domestic reforms and international relations, as Bulgaria navigates its future trajectory.