Leader of DPS-New Beginning faction, media mogul
Appears in 2 stories
Sanctioned by US and UK for corruption; party won 6.3%
Bulgaria held its eighth parliamentary election in five years on April 19, 2026. Former President Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria coalition won 44.7% of the vote—the largest single-party result in Bulgaria's democratic history—giving it roughly 130 seats and an outright majority in the 240-seat National Assembly. Radev resigned the presidency in January to form the party, riding a wave of anti-corruption anger after mass protests toppled the previous government in December 2025.
Updated Apr 21
Under U.S. and UK sanctions; key target of anti-corruption protests
Bulgaria has had five presidents in its 33-year post-communist history. None resigned before completing their term—until Rumen Radev stepped down on January 23, 2026. His departure elevated Vice President Iliana Iotova to become Bulgaria's first female head of state, a historic milestone overshadowed by the deepest political instability the country has faced since the fall of communism.
Updated Feb 6
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