Bulgaria faces eighth election in five years as Radev vows to dismantle oligarchic order

Bulgaria is preparing to head to the polls on April 19 for its eighth early general election in five years, marked by a significant shift in the political landscape as President Rumen Radev resigned his office to campaign for the premiership.

The move is being characterized as a development that affects not only the political equilibrium in Sofia but also the 352,000 dual citizens eligible to vote in Türkiye.

Radev, 62, has been defined during his nine-year presidency by an “anti-establishment” stance. He stated that his new political initiative aims to extricate Bulgaria from a “mafia-oligarchic” structure that he claims has persisted for 36 years. The initiative is being viewed as a new alternative for an electorate currently overshadowed by ongoing power struggles.

Radev characterized the April 19 vote as more than a process to determine a government, describing it as a stage where the country will decide between the “old order” and a “new beginning.” Radev is contesting the elections under the Progressive Bulgaria coalition.

Furthermore, Radev noted his objective to conclude the “transition to democracy” that began following the collapse of communism 36 years ago, seeking instead to establish a functioning democratic order.

The voting preferences of dual citizens residing in Türkiye are identified as a decisive factor in the electoral process. However, certain structural limitations regarding the voting process for this demographic remain in place.

It has been reported that the psychological pressure and influence exerted at polling stations by traditional structures, which have long been active in the region, are well-known factors.

Changes to electoral laws have also emerged as a constraint on voter access, with the number of polling stations to be established in Türkiye reduced to 20. This reduction is described as making the physical reach of dual citizens in Türkiye to the ballot box more critical.

Turkish voters in Bulgaria are reportedly expecting the electoral process to yield not only a change in government but also an end to practices characterized as second-class treatment.

Ivan Demerdzhiev, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, conducted meetings in Türkiye to garner support for Radev. “Every country has a mafia, but in Bulgaria, the mafia has a state,” Demerdzhiev said. He likened the existing structure in the country to a FETO-like organization.

Demerdzhiev stated that this order would end should Radev be elected. In the same statement, he noted that the country’s delayed development process would gain momentum.

Additionally, Demerdzhiev said that relations with Türkiye would improve during a Radev term and called upon dual citizens living in Türkiye to vote in the April 19 election. “We will defeat the mafia with the law at the ballot box,” Demerdzhiev said.