Exit polls put Rumen Radev's new, left-leaning, pro-Russian party far ahead following Bulgaria's eighth election in five years. Radev, a former fighter pilot, stepped down as Bulgaria's president in January. The Progressive Bulgaria party, lead by ex-President Rumen Radev, has taken a strong lead following the parliamentary election on Sunday , according to early exit polls.

The party has gathered around 37% support, more than double than their closest rivals from the pro-EU GERB. The snap vote follows the resignation of a conservative-led government amid nationwide anti-corruption protests last December. Bulgaria, the EU's poorest member, has been gripped by a political crisis since 2021, when the conservative government of Boyko Borissov was toppled, also amid anti-corruption rallies.

The Sunday vote marks the eighth election in five years. Many hope that the outcome will put an end to the political impasse that has long dogged the country. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A newly formed center-left grouping under former President Rumen Radev, Progressive Bulgaria, is being seen as likely to win Sunday's vote, with opinion polls suggesting it could receive 35% support.

After casting his ballot on Sunday, the 62-year-old Radev urged other people to vote, saying that mass voting was "the only way to drown vote-buying in a sea of free votes." Radev, a former air force general who was president of Bulgaria for nine years before stepping down in January to take part in the election, has pledged to combat what he calls the "oligarchic governance model" in the country. He has also advocated for Bulgaria to renew ties with Russia, while being critical of the sending of military aid to Ukraine as it fights the ongoing invasion by Moscow's troops. He has, nonetheless, officially denounced Russia's invasion and said he would not use his country's veto to block EU aid to Kyiv if elected.

Radev also opposes the EU's green energy policy, which he considers naive "in a world without rules." Opinion polls show that Borissov's pro-European GERB party, which led the last government, is likely to come second, with around 20%, ahead of the liberal PP-DB. Borissov has served three terms as Bulgaria's prime minister. During the campaign, he has highlighted his GERB party's record, saying it had "fulfilled the dreams of the 1990s," among other things by having Bulgaria join the eurozone this year.

While voting in Bankya, on the outskirts of Sofia, on Sunday, Borissov seemed less-than-hopeful about his party's prospects. He stressed that GERB will not enter any coalitions. "I don't see who we can enter a coalition with," he was quoted as saying by Bulgaria's national broadcaster.

The ex-PM said his party will instead act as constructive opposition and take part in topics related to geopolitics, such as national defense. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and will close at 8 p.m local time (1700 GMT), with a high turnout expected in the Balkan country of some of 6.5 million following just 39% participation at 2024 election.

By 4 p.m. local time, the nationwide turnout had reached nearly 35%, according to the electoral officials. Preliminary results are expected on Monday.

Bulgaria is a European Union and NATO member country. It joined the eurozone on January 1, shortly after entering the border-free Schengen travel area. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video