Bulgaria's Pro-Russian Candidate Surges in Tight Election
As Bulgaria faces its eighth election in five years, the pro-Russian candidate Rumen Radev has taken an early lead, according to exit polls. Radev, a former fighter pilot, recently stepped down as the country's president.
Rumen Radev, a former fighter pilot and prominent pro-Russian figure, has taken an early lead in Bulgaria's latest election, according to exit polls. Radev's new, left-leaning party is projected to come out far ahead following a campaign that focused heavily on the country's complex relationship with Russia.
Radev, who recently stepped down as Bulgaria's president, has long been seen as sympathetic to Moscow and critical of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. His rise to prominence comes as Bulgaria, a NATO member, grapples with its geopolitical identity and the consequences of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}}Source: Deutsche Welle
