Bulgaria's ex-president leads Russia-friendly party to victory in snap parliamentary elections, exit polls show

Source: Kyiv Independent

Progressive Bulgaria, the Kremlin-friendly coalition led by former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, is the projected winner of the country's snap parliamentary elections on April 19, according to multiple exit polls.

The coalition is on track to win 37-38% of the vote, exit polls show. While the final results are yet to be tallied, Radev claimed an "uncontested victory" in comments to reporters after the polls closed.

Radev has frequently criticized aid to Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia while also opposing Ukraine's ascension to NATO and the European Union. His electoral win marks a victory for pro-Russian representation in the EU a week after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban lost his country's parliamentary vote in a resounding defeat.

Radev resigned from the presidency in January to lead his Progressive Bulgaria coalition in a bid for parliament, promising to crack down on corruption. His center-left coalition is made up of former socialist politicians and Radev loyalists.

Read more: https://kyivindependent.com/bulgarias-ex-president-leads-russia-friendly-party-to-landslide-victory-in-snap-parliamentary-elections/