Bulgaria's Eighth Election in Five Years Driven by Anti-Corruption Sentiment

Bulgaria conducted its eighth parliamentary election in five years on Sunday, with former president Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria coalition projected to secure about 35% of votes for the 240-seat legislature. The 62-year-old former air force general, who served as president for nine years, now leads this center-left alliance and has pledged to dismantle what he calls the country's 'oligarchic governance model.' Radev previously supported anti-corruption protests last year that toppled the most recent conservative-backed government. His political platform includes renewing relations with Russia while opposing military assistance to Ukraine. The nation of 6.5 million people has experienced successive administrations since 2021, when widespread demonstrations against corruption forced out long-time leader Boyko Borissov's conservative government. Voter Decho Kostadinov, 57, expressed his desire for political transformation after voting in Sofia, stating corrupt officials should depart with their ill-gotten gains. As the European Union's poorest member state, Bulgaria continues to grapple with political instability rooted in corruption allegations.