Balkan’s Orban claims victory in Bulgaria’s election

Stephen J. By Bose, Worth News Europe Bureau Chief

Sofia/Budapest (meaningful news) – Rumen Radev claimed victory after exit polls showed his Progressive Bulgaria movement won Sunday’s parliamentary election in the Balkan nation, their eighth general vote in five years.

Preliminary official results showed that his Progressive Bulgaria received almost 45 percent of the vote, more than three times the score of the nearest runner-up, former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s GERB party, which received about 13 percent.

With this, Radev’s party is on track to gain about 130 seats in the 240-seat parliament.

Three or four other parties were about to cross the 4 percent threshold and enter Parliament.

His victory marked a change in fortunes for Eurosceptic forces, coming just a week after longtime Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party suffered an unprecedented defeat.

Radev, 62, described by critics as the “Orban of the Balkans”, stepped down in January after nine years as president to form his own new political movement.

The election was called after the previous government attempted to push through a controversial budget last December, leading to mass demonstrations, which Radev supported.

Radev took advantage of public anger

Radev promised to build “a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe”, saying, “The people rejected the complacency and arrogance of the old parties and did not fall prey to lies and manipulation. I thank them for their trust.”

“Europe needs critical thinking, practical actions and results now – especially to build a new security architecture and restore industrial competitiveness,” he said.

However, his victory was a blow to the European Union, where leaders had been celebrating Orbán’s election defeat. Like Orbán, Radev opposes EU sanctions on Russia and favors dialogue with Moscow.

Radev, a former fighter pilot, also opposes Bulgarian military support for Ukraine, despite the country facing ongoing Russian aggression.

Analysts said that, unlike Hungary, Radev’s party may lack a strong enough mandate to govern alone, making coalition talks a possibility.

Talks are underway on alliance

In his first remarks on Sunday evening, Radev confirmed that his Progressive Bulgaria party is looking for coalition partners to address the challenges facing one of Europe’s poorest and most corruption-hit countries.

He campaigned largely on domestic issues, promising to fight corruption and restore stability after years of a fragile coalition.

Bulgaria’s arms industry is closely following their victory as the country remains an important supplier of ammunition to Ukraine through third countries, including neighboring Romania.

The war has given a boost to an industry that has been struggling since Soviet times, despite ongoing political divisions over military support.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Radev has repeatedly opposed the sale of Bulgaria’s Soviet-era weapons stockpile to Kiev.

Future of arms industry uncertain

He shares Orban’s view that military aid risks prolonging a war Ukraine cannot win, raising concerns among Kiev’s allies.

The VMZ factory in Sopot, about two hours east of Sofia, produces explosives and NATO-grade 155 mm artillery shells.

In October 2025, Rhinemetall announced a 1 billion euro (about US$1.1 billion) joint venture with VMZ to produce up to 100,000 shells annually, along with a new ammo facility.

Rhinemetall will hold a 51 percent stake in the venture, part of broader European efforts to expand defense production.

Despite opposing military aid to Ukraine, Radev has taken credit for attracting investment from Rhinemetal and strengthening Bulgaria’s role in Europe’s defense sector.

EU unity tested

“Bulgaria is becoming part of the European defense ecosystem,” Radev said during a visit to the company’s headquarters in Germany.

Observers say his position may be similar to that of Robert Fico – who is critical of EU policies but is unlikely to stop private arms production for Ukraine.

Still, his victory raises uncertainty at a time when the EU is struggling to maintain unity over the war in Ukraine and relations with Russia.

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