Bulgaria: Roumen Radev, the new powerful figure in the country, and a champion of the fight against corruption.

21 April 2026

CdB

Roumen Radev, a former air force commander, rose to power in Bulgaria by campaigning against corruption and gaining significant electoral support.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

Roumen Radev, a former air force commander, has become a leading figure in Bulgaria, having won the legislative elections on April 19th with a historic 44% of the vote. His political career has been marked by his fight against corruption and his visible support for Russia. After his military career, Radev entered politics in 2016, winning the presidency in the second round of the election. Despite the limited power of the president in Bulgaria’s parliamentary system, he has frequently challenged the government, notably opposing the purchase of US F-16 jets and criticizing the prosecutor general. Following corruption scandals that led to the resignation of Boiko Borissov in 2021, Radev remained influential, and his strong pro-Russian stance, including statements claiming Crimea belongs to Russia, has been consistent. Amidst political instability and declining voter turnout, Radev’s strong showing in the April elections secured him a large majority in parliament, leading to his resignation as president in January 2026.

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