Headlines
Bulgaria's former president Radev registers party to run in April 19 election
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 2, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 2, 2026
Quick Summary
Former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has registered a new coalition—rather than a standalone party—to contest the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for April 19, 2026, citing tight legal deadlines. Polls show his formation leading the race with over 25% support.
Bulgaria's popular ex-president sets up alliance to run in April 19 election
Progressive Bulgaria Alliance and the Upcoming Parliamentary Election
Formation of the Progressive Bulgaria Alliance
SOFIA, March 2 (Reuters) - Bulgaria’s former President Rumen Radev has registered a three-party political alliance called Progressive Bulgaria to run in a parliamentary election on April 19, the country's eighth in seven years, he said on Monday.
Radev's Popularity and Political Influence
Radev, who stepped down from his mostly ceremonial role in January, is one of the most popular politicians in Bulgaria, and polls forecast that his coalition could get more than 30% of the vote.
Behind-the-Scenes Role During Instability
Before resigning nearly a year early, Radev had wielded considerable behind-the scenes influence during a period of political instability that saw the latest government collapse on December 11.
Government Resignation and Public Protests
The government resigned following weeks of street protests over tax hikes and its perceived failure to tackle corruption.
Alliance Goals and Party Composition
Radev's Vision for Progressive Bulgaria
"'Progressive Bulgaria' is the answer to the expectations of Bulgarians for dismantling the oligarchic corruption model. In order to succeed, we will fight for a decisive victory and it depends on the voice of all Bulgarians," Radev wrote in a Facebook post.
Parties within the Alliance
Our People Movement
Social Democratic Party
Socialdemocrats Political Movement
Progressive Bulgaria brings together the left-leaning parties Our People Movement, Social Democratic Party, and political movement Socialdemocrats.
Context: Bulgaria's Political Landscape
Bulgaria, which joined the euro zone on January 1, has faced prolonged political instability, with parties unable to form stable ruling coalitions since 2021 in a fragmented parliament.
(Reporting by Alex Lefkowiz; Ivana Sekularac; editing by Edward McAllister and Andrei Khalip)
Key Takeaways
- •Radev opted to run via a coalition of already registered parties, as there wasn’t enough time to form and register a new political party by the March deadlines (bta.bg)
- •The coalition—including its name, structure and platform—must be officially registered with Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission by March 4 (novinite.com)
- •Opinion polls show the Radev-linked coalition leading the election race, polling between ~25% and 33%, but still short of an outright majority of 121 seats (novinite.com)
References
- BTA :: Rumen Radev Says He Will Set Up Political Party After Upcoming Elections
- Rumen Radev to Reveal Coalition Partners and Program by March 4 Ahead of Early Elections - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency
- Former President Leads Early-Election Race in Bulgaria as the Liberals Trail in Third Place, Survey Shows - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency
Frequently Asked Questions about Bulgaria's former president Radev registers party to run in April 19 election
1Who is Rumen Radev?
Rumen Radev is the former President of Bulgaria.
2Where did Rumen Radev make the registration announcement?
He announced the news on his X profile.
