The party of Bulgaria's pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev is set to win Sunday's parliamentary vote, exit polls show, after campaigning to stamp out corruption and end a spiral of weak, short-lived governments, although at it stands he will need coalition partners to run a majority government.
Rumen Radev, former Bulgarian president and leader of Progressive Bulgaria coalition, votes during the parliamentary election, in Sofia, Bulgaria, April 19, 2026. Reuters/Stoyan Nenov
The party of Bulgaria's pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev is set to win Sunday's parliamentary vote, exit polls show, after campaigning to stamp out corruption and end a spiral of weak, short-lived governments, although at it stands he will need coalition partners to run a majority government.
The exit poll conducted by Sofia-based Alpha Research showed Radev's Progressive Bulgaria with 37.5%, far ahead of the GERB party led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, which trails in second place with 16.2%
Radev, a eurosceptic former fighter pilot who opposes military support for Ukraine's war effort against Moscow, stepped down from the presidency in January to run in the election, which comes after mass protests forced out the previous government in December.
It was the eighth election in five years in the Balkan country of about 6.5 million people, where voters are weary of repeated snap polls and a small group of veteran politicians widely seen as corrupt.
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