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Summary

It seems that the cost-of-living crisis and the latest political deadlock are foremost on voters' minds, rather than Radiev's calls to improve relations with Moscow or resume Russian oil and gas flows to Europe.

Bulgarians headed to the polls today, Sunday, to cast their votes in the eighth parliamentary elections in five years.

Former pro-Russian president Rumen Radiev is the frontrunner, pledging to end the cycle of weak, short-lived governments and eradicate rampant corruption.

Rumen Radiev, a former fighter pilot who is anti-European Union and opposes providing military support to Ukraine's war effort against Russia, stepped down from the presidency last January to run in the elections, which are being held after massive protests forced the previous government to resign in December 2025.

A coordinated campaign on social media platforms, costly election campaigns, and promises of stability have helped boost support for Radiev in the Balkan nation of about 6.5 million people, where voters are tired of repeated early elections and a small group of seasoned politicians widely seen as corrupt.

The cost of living is also a problem, especially after Bulgaria, a European Union and NATO member, adopted the euro last January. The previous government fell amid protests over a new budget that proposed tax increases and higher social security contributions.

It seems that the cost-of-living crisis and the latest political deadlock are foremost on voters' minds, rather than Radiev's calls to improve relations with Moscow or resume Russian oil and gas flows to Europe.

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Bulgaria, the poorest country in the European Union, has been in a political crisis since 2021, when widespread anti-corruption protests brought down the government of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who had ruled the country for about 10 years.

Opinion polls released last Friday projected that Radiev's Progressive Bulgaria party would get about 35 percent of the vote, a high percentage compared to last March. If this result materializes, it would be one of the strongest showings by a single party in years, though it would not achieve a parliamentary majority.

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT). Exit polls are expected after voting ends, and preliminary results may appear later today or tomorrow, Monday.

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More about: Bulgaria, Russia, European Union, elections, Rumen Radiev