Bulgarians head to polls for eighth time in five years

Bulgarians have started voting in the eighth parliamentary election in five years after mass protests brought down the previous Conservative-led government in December.

Polling stations opened at 7am local time (0400 GMT). Polls are due to close at 17:00 GMT, with exit polls expected shortly afterwards. Official results are not expected before Monday.

Sunday’s vote is significant as it could bring to power a left-leaning, pro-Russian former president Rumen Radev – just days after voters in Hungary rejected the authoritarian policies and global far-right movement of Viktor Orban, who cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The December protests drew hundreds of thousands of mainly young people to the streets. The protesters called for an independent judiciary to tackle widespread corruption.

Radev, a former air force general, has said he wants to rid the country of its “oligarchic governance model” and backed anti-corruption protests late last year that brought down the conservative-backed government.

He has advocated for renewing ties with Russia and criticised sending military aid to Ukraine. He resigned from the mainly ceremonial presidency in January to launch his bid to lead the government as prime minister.

Radev has also opposed Bulgarian efforts to supply arms to Ukraine in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion, though he has said he would not use Sofia’s veto power to block European Union decisions.

He has called for restoring ties with Moscow and criticised a 10-year defence agreement signed last month between Bulgaria and Ukraine, prompting renewed accusations from opponents that he is too accommodating towards the Kremlin.

The former president also drew criticism online after images from meetings with world leaders, including Russian President Putin, were shown during his final campaign rally.

Bulgaria, a nation of 6.5 million people, has faced repeated political instability since 2021, with fragmented parliaments producing weak coalition governments. None has lasted more than a year before collapsing amid street protests or parliamentary manoeuvring.

The European Union member state has cycled through a succession of administrations since mass anti-corruption protests in 2021 ended the conservative rule of long-time leader Boyko Borissov.

Borissov’s pro-European GERB party is expected to finish second, according to opinion polls, with about 20 percent support, ahead of the liberal PP-DB alliance.