On Sunday, April 19, early parliamentary elections began in Bulgaria – the eighth since 2021. Among those participating in the race is former President Rumen Radev, as reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
Radev resigned as president in January to lead the "Progressive Bulgaria" party and participate in the elections. According to analysts, his political force is unlikely to win a majority in the 240-seat parliament, which complicates the formation of a government.
Bulgaria has been in a protracted political crisis since 2020, when the country was engulfed in mass anti-corruption protests. Since then, no government has been able to serve a full term.
The main parties have repeatedly failed coalition talks, so a minority government or new elections this year are not ruled out.
Key players
Radev is building his campaign on fighting corruption and oligarchy. He has repeatedly criticized former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and politician Delyan Peevski, who are associated with influencing the political system.
Despite this, Borisov's party is predicted to come in second, and Peevski's political force is expected to enter parliament, which narrows the possibilities for forming a coalition.
Coalition options
Among Radev's potential partners are the socialists, who may not overcome the electoral threshold, a pro-European alliance, or the nationalist group "Revival."
At the same time, the politician himself rejected the possibility of an alliance with some of these forces during the campaign. The final configuration of the coalition will depend on the voting results.
Turnout and risks
Voter turnout in Bulgaria has been declining in recent years – in the previous elections, it fell below 40%. Radev's participation is expected to mobilize voters.
At the same time, observers note the risks of disinformation and possible violations during voting. The government has engaged EU mechanisms to monitor the information space.
Exit polls will be released after the polls close at 8:00 PM, with preliminary results expected overnight.
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