Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev Announces Resignation Ahead of Snap Election

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has announced his resignation, fueling speculation that he intends to form his own political party ahead of snap elections expected in the coming months.

Radev stated on Monday that he would submit his resignation to the country's Constitutional Court the following day. If approved, he will be succeeded by Vice President Iliana Iotova.

"Today, I am addressing you for the last time as president of Bulgaria," the 62-year-old Radev declared during a televised speech, expressing his eagerness to participate in the "battle for the future" of the nation.

His resignation marks the first by a head of state in Bulgaria's post-communist history and comes as the country, a member of the European Union and NATO, struggles with a prolonged political crisis. Bulgaria's previous government was ousted in December amidst widespread anticorruption protests, which the left-leaning Radev openly supported. The upcoming snap election will be Bulgaria's eighth round of voting in just five years.

Large anticorruption protests last month led to the downfall of the governing coalition, previously led by the centre-right GERB party. Subsequent attempts to form a new government within the existing parliament have failed, pushing the country towards its eighth parliamentary election since 2021.

Radev, whose second mandate was set to end in 2026, has repeatedly hinted at his potential participation in new elections. The former Air Force general has been a vocal opponent of Boyko Borissov, the leader of the GERB party.

He has also opposed politician and oligarch Delyan Peevski, who is sanctioned by the United States and United Kingdom over allegations of bribery, corruption, and media manipulation. Peevski's MRF New Beginning party has consistently backed the outgoing GERB-led coalition.

The outgoing president has expressed skepticism about Bulgaria's decision to join the eurozone and opposes sending military aid to Ukraine. He has criticized European leaders for not adequately supporting efforts by former US President Donald Trump to facilitate a negotiated peace.

Radev did not disclose his immediate plans on Monday. When recently asked about forming a new party, he emphasized the need for a party that "unites all democrats – left and right – regardless of where they belong or whether they are politically active at all, because we all need fair elections and democratic, free development."

A recent Market Links poll revealed Radev enjoys an approval rating of 44 percent.

"His goal is to be close to the majority so that he doesn’t have to negotiate," Parvan Simeonov from the Myara polling agency told AFP, adding that a strong result for Radev could offer "a way out" of the country’s political crisis.