On Sunday, Bulgarians will go to the polls for the eighth time in five years. Among the candidates is Anna Bodakova, a 23-year-old sociology graduate from Sofia University, standing for the pro-European coalition We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB). Last year, Bodakova joined mass protests that forced the prime minister and his cabinet to resign in December over economic policies and perceived corruption.
“The protest is only half of the work,” she said. “I’m a firm believer in the parliamentary republic. I’m a firm believer in the democratic process. I want to turn what was expressed in the protest into laws and into rules.” Many Bulgarians born around the turn of the millennium share her hope that the protest wave can secure a more democratic, pro-European and corruption-free future after years of political turbulence.
However, those hopes are likely to collide with the ambitions of former president Rumen Radev, who leads in the polls. Radev, known for his pro-Russian rhetoric and opposition to the euro and military support for Ukraine, is backed by older, rural voters who want him to break what he calls an “oligarchy” of corrupt politicians. Law student Aleksandar Tanev, 22, argues Radev “is part of this same model” and failed to fight the mafia while president.
Dimitar Keranov, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said the electorate is split along generational lines. “I don’t think [Radev] would be a straightforward vote for young Bulgarians, because I think he represents the same status quo young Bulgarians would like to see dismantled,” he said. A victory for Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria coalition could worry Brussels, especially as Radev has criticised EU support for Ukraine and called for restoring relations with Russia.
Bulgaria’s political crisis, characterised by weak coalitions and low trust in institutions, has led to election fatigue. Turnout at the last election in 2024 was just 39%. The run-up to Sunday’s vote has been chaotic, with parties trading accusations.
