President Radev: a time of political changes in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian presidential elections have been won by former Air Force Commander Rumen Radev, a non-party candidate, who ran with the support of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). In the second round of the elections held on 13 November 2016, he won 59.4% of the vote, convincingly beating Tsetka Tsacheva, the candidate from the governing party Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB). The clear victory for Radev, a political novice from outside the political establishment, has revealed the scale of the Bulgarian public’s disappointment at its political class.

GERB’s first electoral defeat in a decade has led to a crisis; the leader of the party, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, has resigned, and a technocratic government will most likely take over. It will be exceptionally difficult to create a new majority in the current parliament, which in practice means early general elections will be held next spring. The agenda for the next election campaign has been set by anti-establishment groups whose agitation led to a referendum on reforming the electoral system.

In foreign policy, Radev’s win will lead to Bulgaria adopting a more conciliatory tone towards Russia, as the president-elect favours close cooperation with Moscow. However, the main directions of foreign policy will be determined by the government which emerges after the spring elections.

ESO: Background information: Bulgaria in political crisis after Socialist candidate wins presidential election http://www.europeansources.info/record/bulgaria-in-political-crisis-after-socialist-candidate-wins-presidential-election/

ESO: Background information: Remarks by Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, at the joint press point with Rumen Radev, President of Bulgaria http://www.europeansources.info/record/remarks-by-jean-claude-juncker-president-of-the-european-commission-at-the-joint-press-point-with-rumen-radev-president-of-bulgaria/

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