Bulgaria’s parliament on Friday formally approved Rumen Radev as prime minister, handing him the leadership of a new government as the European Union member country tries to stabilize politics after months of unrest and a collapse of the previous administration. Lawmakers’ vote—124 in favor, 70 against and 36 abstentions—came as Radev warned that his cabinet would need to address price pressures, budget and reform gaps, and the impact of a severe global energy crisis amid escalating conflicts.
Before taking up the prime minister post, Radev had stepped down from Bulgaria’s mostly ceremonial presidency in January, the Associated Press reported, after deciding to run for government leadership in a role with more executive power. In his address to lawmakers, he said: “We have no illusions about the crises and trials facing the government, which will soon be seeking your support – galloping prices, budget, missing reforms, a severe global energy crisis and escalating conflicts.”
Radev’s approval follows a prior political breakdown that culminated in December, when Bulgaria’s previous conservative government collapsed, according to the report. The collapse came after nationwide anti-corruption protests drew hundreds of thousands of people to the streets, described as mainly young, and the protests’ momentum led to the end of that administration.
The prime minister-designate’s rise is tied to the April 19 parliamentary election, in which his Progressive Bulgaria party won what the Associated Press described as a landslide. The party secured 131 seats in the 240-seat legislature, giving it a comfortable majority and the basis to push for government formation.
Radev had previously built his public profile by casting himself as an opponent of entrenched criminal networks and their ties to senior politicians, the report said. At campaign rallies, he vowed to “remove the corrupt, oligarchic model of governance from political power,” and supporters have split between those focusing on anti-corruption and those who align with his party’s views that have been described as euroskeptic and Russia-friendly.
Concerns have also surrounded how Bulgaria’s orientation in European decision-making could shift under Radev, given his pro-Russian stance, the report noted. Florence Thiéry, an analyst at the Credendo insurance group, said in written comments that Radev would more likely “seek to dilute Sofia’s support for Kyiv,” which Bulgaria supplies with ammunition, and push for the resumption of Russian oil and gas imports, prioritizing lower-cost energy supplies.
Thiéry added that Bulgaria’s European integration milestones may limit how much foreign policy can change. She said the country’s full accession to the Schengen Area and its recent adoption of the euro are expected to support continuity in foreign policy, making “a reversal of its Euro-Atlantic stance unlikely,” according to the written comments.