Bulgaria's Radev Wins Landslide, Secures Parliamentary Majority

Former Bulgarian president Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria coalition won a decisive victory in Sunday's snap parliamentary election, taking roughly 44.7 percent of the vote and securing an outright majority in the 240-seat National Assembly.

Eighth election in five years

With 98.3 percent of ballots counted, Al Jazeera and Balkan Insight reported that Progressive Bulgaria had captured at least 130 seats, giving Radev's newly formed movement the ability to govern without a coalition partner. It was Bulgaria's eighth snap general election since 2021, a period of persistent instability that has cycled through a succession of short-lived governments.

The vote was triggered by the resignation of Prime Minister Zhelyazkov's administration on December 11, 2025, following mass anti-corruption protests that filled the streets of Sofia late last year. Radev, who had served as president for nine years, stepped down from the post in January 2026 to found Progressive Bulgaria and contest the parliamentary race.

Rivals routed

The center-right GERB party led by former prime minister Boyko Borissov, long the dominant force in Bulgarian politics, was reduced to 13.4 percent. The pro-European We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria coalition finished with 13.2 percent, according to Al Jazeera.

Radev hailed the result as a "victory of hope" and pledged to dismantle what he described as Bulgaria's "oligarchic governance model," citing the December street protests as a mandate for change. CNN and Euronews carried the remark.

A eurosceptic turn in Sofia

A left-leaning eurosceptic, Radev has been openly critical of sending military aid to Ukraine and has called for renewing ties with Russia. During his presidency he was critical of EU policies toward Russia. His party's outright majority means no coalition is currently required, although the parliamentary process for forming a new government still lies ahead. Some tallies put the seat total closer to 135, but final counts were still being confirmed at the time of reporting.