Radev bloc leads Bulgaria vote as turnout rises
With 68.3% of ballots counted, the Central Election Commission reported Progressive Bulgaria winning 44.5% of the vote. The Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria alliance followed with about 14%, while GERB–UDF secured 13.1%.
Smaller parties trailed behind, with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms on 5.4% and nationalist Vazrazhdane at 4.5%.
“Progressive Bulgaria has won unequivocally,” Radev said, pledging to keep the country on its European path while calling for more pragmatic EU policies.
Despite the clear lead, political fragmentation is expected to complicate government formation. The vote marks Bulgaria’s eighth parliamentary election since 2021, underlining prolonged instability following anti-corruption protests that ousted former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Borissov congratulated Radev but warned that forming a government would be challenging, stressing differences over policy direction.
Turnout exceeded 50%, the highest since 2021, reflecting renewed voter engagement after years of declining participation. Authorities also stepped up efforts to combat vote-buying, detaining hundreds and seizing large sums of cash in the run-up to the election.
Final results and seat allocations are expected within days.
