Radev’s coalition wins Bulgarian election in landslide

Figures released by Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission showed the newly formed alliance far ahead of its rivals once 100% of ballots were processed. The GERB-SDS bloc came a distant second with 13.3%, followed by We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) on 12.6%.

Other parties lagged significantly, including the Movement for Rights and Freedoms at around 7% and the nationalist Vazrazhdane with just over 4%, while several smaller groups failed to gain substantial support.

The result marks a decisive shift in Bulgaria’s political landscape after years of instability and repeated elections. Sunday’s vote was the country’s eighth parliamentary election since 2021.

Radev, a former Air Force commander who served as president from 2017 until stepping down earlier this year, launched Progressive Bulgaria shortly after his resignation. Running on a strong anti-corruption platform, he vowed to “root out the mafia and kick out the oligarchs,” positioning himself as a reformist figure aiming to reset governance in the EU’s poorest member state.

His victory now places him in a strong position to form a government and potentially assume the role of prime minister.

European leaders quickly reacted to the outcome. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and European Council President Antonio Costa both congratulated Radev, expressing readiness to work together on strengthening Europe’s security and economic resilience. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also signaled continued cooperation on shared security challenges.

Despite the landslide win, Radev’s positions are expected to draw close attention internationally. He has voiced skepticism about Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro and previously criticized EU support for Ukraine as ineffective, calling for a stronger focus on diplomatic solutions.

In his victory speech, Radev pledged to build “a strong Bulgaria and a strong Europe,” emphasizing the need for pragmatic policies, improved competitiveness, and a new approach to regional security.

Under Bulgarian law, final results and seat distribution are expected within days, after which coalition talks and government formation will begin.