Rumen Radev, who resigned the presidency in January, leads opinion polls ahead of Bulgaria's April 19 parliamentary election on an anti‑corruption and stability platform. His Progressive Bulgaria party polls around 30% but lacks a parliamentary majority and will likely need coalition partners, which could moderate his pro‑Russian instincts. The vote is unfolding amid efforts to curb vote‑buying and online disinformation while rural decline and distrust in politics remain pressing issues.
Rumen Radev Tops Polls in Bulgaria on Anti‑Corruption Promise Ahead of April 19 Vote
A man walks past an election billboard of the Progressive Bulgaria coalition's leader and former President Rumen Radev, ahead of the snap election, in Sofia, Bulgaria, April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva
In the rolling pastures of southern Bulgaria, farmer Nikolay Vasiliev says he is ready for a political reset. For years, he says, corrupt local officials blocked plans to expand his cattle operation and successive governments in Sofia failed to tackle graft or revive the region's faltering economy. A campaign poster bearing the unsmiling face of Rumen Radev, a former fighter pilot and a pro‑Russian figure who resigned the presidency in January to run for parliament, is taped to a post outside his farm in Haskovo province.
Bulgarian farmer Nikolay Vasiliev poses for a picture with his horse, near the village of Gorno Pole, Bulgaria, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
Radev's Surge and Voter Appeal
Radev leads the polls with around 30% support, buoyed by older and rural voters who view him as a leader capable of ending prolonged political instability and dismantling what he calls an "oligarchy" of entrenched politicians. Elected president in 2016 to a largely ceremonial post, Radev has positioned himself as an anti‑corruption reformer promising stability after years of fragile coalitions and repeated elections.
A woman walks past an election billboard of the centre-right GERB party that reads "Order, work, growth", ahead of the snap election, in Sofia, Bulgaria, April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva
Anti‑Corruption Pitch and Domestic Challenges
Analysts say corruption in Bulgaria permeates public procurement, local politics and other areas of public life. Bulgaria is ranked 84th in Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, placing it alongside Hungary as the lowest‑scoring EU member. Radev has pledged to end the influence of what he calls "local feudal lords and strongmen" and to tackle vote‑buying, a practice authorities say is endemic.
A drone view shows farmer Nikolay Vasiliev riding a horse next to his cattle, near the village of Gorno pole, Bulgaria, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
"The first word that comes to mind when I think of a leader is 'dignified'," said farmer Vasiliev. "To be a dignified leader, you must be a dignified person."
Foreign Policy Implications
A Radev victory could reshape Bulgaria's foreign policy, which has largely followed pro‑Brussels parties. Since joining the eurozone in January and signing a security agreement with Ukraine last month, Sofia has taken steps Radev opposes. Following the recent exit of Hungary's pro‑Kremlin leader Viktor Orbán, Radev has cast himself as one of the few EU figures open to improving ties with Moscow, citing Bulgaria's Slavic and Eastern Orthodox link to Russia.
Cattle belonging to Bulgarian farmer Nikolay Vasiliev graze in a pasture, near the village of Gorno Pole, Bulgaria, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
Coalition Math and Election Integrity
Progressive Bulgaria (PB) polls roughly 30%, about 10 percentage points ahead of the largest party, GERB, but remains far short of an outright majority. PB received more than €650,000 in private donations — about 67% of recorded campaign contributions, according to Bulgaria's National Audit Office. Radev has ruled out alliances with GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), whose leader, Delyan Peevski, is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions for alleged corruption.
Radev is likely to need coalition partners, which could temper some of his foreign‑policy positions. One potential partner is the pro‑European We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP‑DB) coalition, which supports reform and polls near 12%. Voter turnout, expected to exceed 50%, and efforts by the caretaker government to curb vote‑buying and counter online disinformation — including material authorities attribute to Russian sources — will be decisive in shaping the outcome.
Why This Vote Matters
Bulgaria has seen notable gains since the end of communism and its 2007 EU accession: higher life expectancy, low unemployment and added economic safeguards after adopting the euro. Yet many rural areas have been hollowed out by underinvestment and youth migration, leaving damaged roads, crumbling roofs and a demand for tangible investment and accountable governance. For voters like Vasiliev, the appeal of a leader promising dignity, stability and an end to local corruption is strong.
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