Bulgaria Faces Another Election as Radev Leads Polls
Bulgaria heads to the polls on Sunday 19 April for yet another parliamentary election, following years of political instability and fragile coalition governments. Former president Rumen Radev is leading in the polls with a campaign centred on fighting corruption.
The country of around 6.5 million people will vote for the eighth time in five years, reflecting repeated coalition breakdowns and declining trust in the political system.
Radev, a former fighter pilot, draws much of his support from older and rural voters, who hope he can deliver a decisive break with the current political order. He has pledged to tackle corruption, which experts say affects both public procurement and local administration.
A potential victory for Radev could also reshape Bulgaria’s foreign policy. He has criticised some steps towards closer integration with the European Union and supports improving relations with Russia.
His party is polling at around 30%, which is unlikely to be enough for an outright majority, meaning coalition negotiations are expected after the vote.