Pro-Russian candidate Radev wins Bulgaria’s election

Brussels – Bulgaria has chosen, and, as expected, Rumen Radev and his party, Progressive Bulgaria (PB), have emerged as the winners of the election. The figures, though still provisional, offer clear indications: with 44.5 percent of the vote, PB has won 131 seats out of the National Assembly’s total of 240, thereby securing an absolute majority in Parliament. GERB, the party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, has seen its number of representatives almost halved: with just over 13 percent of the vote, its seats have fallen to 39, down from 66 in the previous parliamentary composition. Emerging as the second-largest party is Let’s Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, affiliated with the European Liberals (RE), which, with 13.4 percent of the vote, wins 41 seats. 

“The people have rejected the complacency and arrogance of the old parties,” Radev said after the vote count confirmed his victory. He promises “a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe” and has already announced that “Bulgaria’s main contribution to its European mission” will be to work towards “building a new security architecture and restoring its industrial strength and competitiveness.”

Radev’s election victory, however, is not good news for the European Union and its member states: Radev has repeatedly spoken out against supporting Ukraine and has advocated constructive dialogue with Russia, leading him to be regarded as pro-Putin. Radev’s statement on Crimea, annexed in 2014 following military operations and a referendum not recognized by the international community, sparked particular controversy as the politician said it was “Russian.”

 From this perspective, Radev’s statements already seem to offer a glimpse of what lies ahead for the European Union. “We need critical thinking and pragmatism,” the election winner said. “Europe has fallen victim to its own ambition to be a moral leader in a world with new rules,” he said in what appears to be an open criticism of the political agenda adopted so far.  Radev’s Bulgaria could become the new obstacle to EU action, following Viktor Orbán’s ouster from Hungary’s political scene.