Rumen Radev Elected Prime Minister with Absolute Majority in Bulgaria

Rumen Radev won parliamentary backing for his government on Friday, May 8, 2026, with a sweeping majority that gave his party control of 131 out of 220 seats. The vote made Rumen Radev the new prime minister of Bulgaria and the first head of government in three decades to secure an absolute majority. Rumen Radev appeared at the parliament in Sofia on May 8 as lawmakers endorsed his cabinet.

He had been elected on April 19, 2026, after winning nearly 45 percent of the vote at the head of Progressive Bulgaria, a party that describes itself as center-left. Le Monde reported that Rumen Radev reiterated his ambition for Bulgaria to be a "modern nation in the European sense" even as he remained highly cautious regarding assistance to Ukraine. 5 million people.

Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 and has greatly benefited from membership. Rumen Radev's election ends five years of political instability marked by eight consecutive legislative elections. On Friday he promised to "restore the effective and efficient functioning" of the National Assembly.

The former air force pilot is known for minimal public communication. His victory demonstrated an ability to send both pro-European and pro-Russian signals, Le Monde reported. Rumen Radev secured broad parliamentary support on May 8 after his April 19 election victory.

The absolute majority ends a period in which no Bulgarian government had achieved such control in 30 years.