Bulgaria’s 2026 presidential elections: Controversy as electoral commission clears PM Radev of illegal canvassing

In a highly controversial, narrowly-voted, decision on October 28, Bulgaria’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) cleared Prime Minister Roumen Radev of illegally using his office’s resources to endorse President Iliana Yotova, the candidate his Progressive Bulgaria party is supporting in Bulgaria’s 2026 regular elections of a head of state.

There were 135 complaints to the CEC after Radev, in comments on October 26 subsequently conveyed on the government’s official website and social networks, called on the electorate to vote for Yotova in the November 1 run-off in the regular presidential elections.

Bulgarian electoral law forbids the use of state and government resources in canvassing for an election candidate.

Following the outcry about the incident, Radev’s government offered the argument that since the CEC had not yet formally declared the runoff vote underway when he spoke and his words were posted on the government’s website, it was the interval between the October 25 first-round vote and the then as-yet not officially confirmed second round for November 1, and thus his call had not come during an official campaign period.

In its decision, reported late on October 28, the CEC – in a decision made with eight votes for and seven against – declined to rule on the merits of the complaints, saying that the statement in support of a certain candidate did not fit the definition of electioneering because it was made after the October 25 first-round vote but before the runoff was scheduled.

The statement did not constitute campaign material, according to the CEC’s decision.

After the controversy began about Radev’s endorsement being conveyed by the government information service in an official statement posted on the taxpayer-funded website, the same government information service posted a lofty, overwhelmingly arrogant statement telling journalists how to do their job, including their “obligation” to report the positions of the Prime Minister and government “in full”.

Responding, the Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria said: “The government information service’s attempt to educate the media about professional standards in journalism is dangerous”.

“The expectation that all media outlets should rebroadcast the prime minister’s statements ‘in full’ speaks of a profound ignorance of journalistic work,” the association said.

“The media are not reduced to platforms for publishing press releases of the authorities, and journalists are not simply ‘microphone stands’ that can cover without complaint whatever the prime minister or another representative of the authorities has deigned to say,” it said.

In a statement on October 28 following the ruling by the CEC, opposition coalition Democratic Bulgaria said: “The majority in the CEC, formed with the votes of representatives of Progressive Bulgaria and [minority pro-Russian party] Vuzrazhdane, did everything possible not to answer a simple question: is it permissible for the official website and the press service of the Cabinet to disseminate an appeal by Prime Minister Roumen Radev to support a specific presidential candidate?”

“Instead of examining the case on the merits, the majority preferred procedural tactics – a distorted interpretation of the Electoral Code, accepting that in one part the commission was not competent, but otherwise there was no violation of the election rules. The arguments changed during the CEC meeting, responsibility was shifted, and the only thing that remained unchanged was the CEC’s reluctance to rule on the merits,” Democratic Bulgaria said.

“This is particularly worrying because this is not a party page, not a personal profile, and not an election platform. This is about the official communication channels of the Cabinet, maintained with public resources,” the opposition coalition said.

The CEC cannot become an institutional shield that protects the government from scrutiny, Democratic Bulgaria said.

“The independence of the commission is not a privilege that allows for avoiding uncomfortable decisions. It is an obligation to apply the law equally to everyone,” it said.

“It would be even more unacceptable for the party affiliation of the commission members to determine when the CEC sees a violation and when it prefers not to see it.”

Democratic Bulgaria asked: “When state resources are used in the midst of an election campaign, society has the right to a clear answer. Was there a violation or not? This is the question that the CEC should have investigated on the merits, not turned a blind eye.”

Refusing to do so will not end the case, it said.

The decision will be appealed against immediately, Democratic Bulgaria said.

“The court must do what the CEC refused to do today, namely, apply the law and determine whether election rules were violated,” it said.

“The election rules apply to everyone. Including the Prime Minister. Including those in power. Including when the candidate being campaigned for is named Iliana Yotova.”