Left to win

Resignation of “pro-Russian” President Radev - preparation for elections and changes in Bulgarian policy

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced his early resignation, without waiting for the end of his second presidential mandate. The country's Constitutional Court confirmed yesterday that it had received a corresponding statement from the head of state.

In yesterday’s address to the nation from the Armorial Hall of the Presidential Administration, Rumen Radev spoke of a “vicious model of governance” of the country, which “has external signs of democracy,” but in fact functions in accordance with the instructions of the oligarchs. Unnamed “puppeteers,” according to Radev, “speak on behalf of the government, seize parties, banks, businesses and the media, and use power as a bludgeon against their political opponents.” “For the sake of their political future, some politicians are putting at stake the peaceful life of Bulgarians in dangerous conditions near our borders,” said the outgoing politician, hinting at his disagreement with the People’s Assembly, which generally supports Ukraine. “Today’s political class has betrayed the hopes of the Bulgarians by entering into compromises with the oligarchy. Two thirds of citizens no longer vote. We need a new social contract,” Radev concluded.

Radev's political project

The political context of the statement by the now former head of the Bulgarian state, who served in his post for exactly nine years, leaves little doubt: Radev actually confirmed the intention of which he had long been suspected - to return to active party politics and take part in the upcoming snap parliamentary elections as the leader of a new political movement.

In the Bulgarian political establishment, his departure from the presidency is seen as the start of a campaign for a new movement, which is likely to be Eurosceptic in rhetoric, critical of Brussels institutions and de facto pro-Kremlin in foreign policy, despite the veiled language.

A review of the president's ratings over the past years shows that at the beginning of his first term he enjoyed exceptionally high support - more than 50% with very low negative ratings. A decline in popularity has been recorded since 2022, after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, when the president took a pro-Kremlin position.

Over the years of his presidency, Radev has repeatedly taken positions that diverge from the pan-European line, from cautious criticism of sanctions against Russia to an emphasis on “national sovereignty” in foreign policy.

In conditions of voter fatigue from the chronic political crisis, he is obviously banking on a protest and disappointed electorate.

Political consequences

The resignation of the current president and his transition to party politics radically changes the configuration of Bulgarian power. The presidential post—traditionally arbitrary and supra-party—is turning into a launching pad for direct electoral struggle. This increases polarization and further complicates Bulgaria's prospects for emerging from its protracted institutional crisis.

The early parliamentary elections scheduled for spring will be the eighth since April 2021, an unprecedented cycle of electoral instability for an EU member state. This time they will become not just another vote, but an actual referendum on the country’s foreign policy and civilizational choice.

The need for a new vote arose after the resignation of the government in December, when another attempt to form a stable parliamentary majority failed again. The coalition collapsed amid conflicts over budget issues, judicial reform and Bulgaria's foreign policy orientation - primarily in the context of military operations in Ukraine and EU sanctions policy. None of the parliamentary forces was able to offer a working formula for governance, which automatically launched the next electoral cycle.

After Radev's resignation, the duties of the president until new presidential elections are held at the end of the year pass to Vice President Iliana Yotova. A former member of the European Parliament and one of the most consistent supporters of sovereignist and pro-Russian rhetoric in Bulgarian politics, Yotova is known for her critical attitude towards the EU sanctions policy and emphasized skepticism towards Brussels.