Elections in Bulgaria won by pro-Russian party of former President Radev

Rumen Radev and Vladimir Putin.

The picture of electoral sympathies, although having certain regional differences, generally looks unambiguous. As reported by the publication «Slawa.tv» citing sociological agencies «Myara» and «Alpha Research», the undisputed leader is the «Progressive Bulgaria» coalition, headed by former head of state Rumen Radev.

According to exit poll data as of 8:00 PM, Radev's project garners between 38.1 and 38.7 percent of the votes.

This figure is almost two and a half times higher than the results of the closest competitors from the center-right coalition GERB-SDS of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Surveys by the «Myara» agency give them 14.7 percent, while data from «Alpha Research», published by Bulgarian National Television (BNT), show a result of 15.9 percent.

Павялічыць

Results of the exit poll by the «Myara» agency. Photo: investor.bg

Third place is confidently held by the pro-European bloc «We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria», which gathers between 13.3 and 14.1 percent of the votes, respectively. Data from the «Market Links» center confirm the same proportion of leaders.

Павялічыць

Exit poll results from «Alpha Research». Photo: bntnews.bg

Three more political forces overcome the four-percent barrier to enter parliament. Among them are the «Movement for Rights and Freedoms» with a result of 7.9 to 9.1 percent, the radically pro-Russian party «Vazrazhdane», which was supported by about 5 percent of voters, and the Bulgarian Socialist Party, which balances on the edge of passing with approximately 4 percent. Voter turnout, meanwhile, was higher than in the previous 2024 elections, reaching, according to various estimates, between 48.5 and 51.1 percent.

With whom will Radev form a government?

Rumen Radev's triumph by no means guarantees him an easy life in the coming months. The American publication «Politico», whose assessments are cited by Bulgarian media, points out that thirty-eight percent is clearly insufficient for independently forming a government. The victor now faces two completely opposite paths.

The first scenario involves an attempt to negotiate with pro-European reformers. After the vote, Radev himself diplomatically stated his readiness to consider various options for creating a stable government, admitting points of contact with the pro-European camp on issues of judicial reform.

The second path lies through an alliance with socialists and the radically pro-Russian «Vazrazhdane». As «Politico» notes, precisely such an alliance could lead to the formation of a cabinet of ministers with a pro-Russian orientation.

The Shadow of the Kremlin over Sofia

The figure of Radev himself, who held the presidential office from 2016 to early 2026, causes alarm in European capitals not without reason. During the election campaign, he openly advocated for improving relations with Moscow and returning to unhindered supplies of Russian energy resources.

«The Insider» publication reports that the Kremlin is directly betting on Radev. The analyst draws attention to a powerful campaign supporting the politician in pro-Russian media and social networks.

The ex-president consistently opposes supporting Ukraine and supplying it with weapons, although today Bulgaria remains arguably the largest supplier of Soviet-era weaponry to Kyiv among EU countries.

Meanwhile, on the flank, there are even more radical forces: the leader of the «Vazrazhdane» party, Kostadin Kostadinov, has repeatedly traveled to Russia since the start of the full-scale war.

Broken Machines and Long Queues

The elections themselves, triggered by the government's resignation amid mass protests at the end of last year, were accompanied by a series of local incidents. According to information from the Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria, cited by «Slawa.tv», over 180 reports of violations were registered and 13 criminal cases were opened by lunchtime alone.

The main technical problem was mass failures in the electronic voting machines, which forced many polling stations to urgently switch to paper ballots.

The voting was a serious test for the Bulgarian diaspora. While the number of voters in Turkey almost halved, large queues and logistical difficulties were recorded in EU countries and the USA. However, there were also important social changes: this year, blind voters for the first time had the opportunity to vote completely independently thanks to the introduction of tactile ballots with Braille.

Another twist in Bulgaria's political crisis has reached a logical, but only intermediate, point. Voters preferred a familiar face promising economic pragmatism. Now Sofia faces a choice: to maintain a fragile European course through complex internal compromises or to take a decisive step into Moscow's political embrace. And the security of the entire region will depend on which path the victor chooses.

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