Bulgaria's pro-Kremlin ex-president Rumen Radev wins parliamentary election landslide

Pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev won Bulgaria's parliamentary election by a landslide on Sunday, with his Progressive Bulgaria party securing 44.7 percent of the vote after nearly all ballots were counted. Official results on Monday showed his party far ahead of rivals like the pro-European PP-DB coalition and GERB party, both around 13 percent. Radev, a Eurosceptic ex-fighter pilot, stepped down from the presidency in January to run after mass protests toppled the prior government.

This victory could end five years of political instability with eight elections and weak coalitions in the EU's poorest member. Radev opposes military aid to Ukraine and favors renewed ties with Russia, raising questions about Bulgaria's foreign policy direction as an EU and NATO member. He has not ruled out coalitions but may govern alone.