Bulgaria’s April 2026 elections: Radev to stand as candidate MP in two electoral districts
Ex-president Roumen Radev will head the candidate MP lists of his Progressive Bulgaria coalition in two electoral districts for the country’s April 19 2026 early parliamentary elections, the coalition announced on March 16.
Radev will be the list leader in the 25th electoral district in capital city Sofia, and in Bourgas.
This will put Radev up against GERB-UDF leader Boiko Borissov in that district.
In turn, the We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria coalition list leader in the 25th electoral district in Sofia is Boiko Rashkov, who was interior minister at the time that Borissov was arrested in a move later ruled unlawful.
Candidate list leaders in the 25th district include pro-Russian Vuzrazhdane deputy leader Tsoncho Ganev, Andrei Georgiev of Magnitsky Act-sanctioned Delyan Peevski’s Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning and Atanas Atanassov of the Bulgarian Socialist Party – United Left coalition.
The candidate MP lists of the Progressive Bulgaria coalition of Radev – who was Bulgaria’s president from 2017 until 2026, when he ended his term early to enter parliamentary politics – includes well-known sports people, former members of the presidential administration, as well as former ministers in caretaker government he appointed while head of state.
Among them are long-time captain of the national volleyball team, Vladimir Nikolov, Olympic karate champion Ivet Goranova, champion marathon swimmer Petar Stoychev, former caretaker prime minister Gulub Donev, former caretaker defence minister Dimitar Stoyanov, former caretaker interior minister Ivan Demerdzhiev, former caretaker environment minister Rositsa Karamfilova, former caretaker regional development minister Ivan Shishkov, former caretaker agriculture minister Yavor Gechev and former caretaker e-government minister Alexander Pulev.
Also on Radev’s lists are former MEP Petar Vitanov and political commentator Slavi Vassilev.
The deadline for registering the names of candidates with the relevant Regional Election Commissions is 5pm on March 17. The official start of the election campaign is March 20.
