The European Union might think it won big in Hungary with the electoral defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán, but they lost big in Bulgaria, where the victory of the Progressive Bulgaria coalition led by former President Rumen Radev won an absolute majority in the April 19 parliamentary elections. With more than 87% of the ballots in, Progressive Bulgaria won 44.564% of the vote. It is set to win 132 seats in the 240-seat parliament.
President for nine years until he resigned in order to run for election, Radev hailed a “victory of hope.” From his position as President, he had been critical of European Union policies, especially the anti-Russian security policy. And he has called for “practical relations with Russia, based on mutual respect and equal treatment.” He has criticized a 10-year defense agreement, signed last month between Bulgaria and Ukraine. He has also opposed Bulgaria sending arms to Ukraine, although he has said he would not use his country’s veto to block EU decisions.
Radev has enjoyed widespread support as President, and cannot be called a populist. He ran on a pledge to fight the corruption that has plagued Bulgaria for years.
