Bulgaria holds eighth general election in five years amid political crisis

Bulgarians voted on Sunday in the eighth parliamentary election in five years, a reflection of ongoing political instability in the country.

The election is expected to bring former president Rumen Radev to power, leading a centre-left coalition with a strong anti-corruption platform.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time and closed at 5 p.m.

The vote follows mass protests that toppled the previous conservative-led government in December 2025.

Radev, a former air force general who served as president for nine years, resigned in January to lead the newly formed Progressive Bulgaria coalition.

Opinion polls suggested the bloc could secure around 35 percent of the vote.

The election is significant as it may end years of fragmented parliaments and weak governments that have failed to last more than a year since 2021.

The political crisis has been marked by widespread public dissatisfaction with corruption and oligarchic governance.

Radev has campaigned on promises to fight corruption and renew ties with Russia, while opposing military aid to Ukraine.

His stance contrasts with the pro-European GERB party, led by former prime minister Boyko Borissov, which is trailing in the polls with around 20 percent support.

The December protests that led to the fall of the previous government involved hundreds of thousands of mainly young people demanding an independent judiciary and an end to corruption.

Radev's platform aims to dismantle what he calls the "oligarchic governance model" that has dominated Bulgarian politics.

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