Rumen Radev
In a televised address to the nation on the evening of January 19, he announced that he intended to step down as president. The date of the statement was not chosen by chance. Monday marked four years since he took office as head of the Bulgarian state. Recall, this was Rumen Radev’s second mandate in this post. He held it for two consecutive terms, since 2017.
In his short message, Rumen Radev emphasized that he was addressing the citizens for the last time as president of the country, and the next day, January 20, he will submit his resignation. According to the legislative procedure, the president’s request must then be reviewed by the Constitutional Court, which can terminate his powers early. Until then, Radev will continue to fulfill his duties. After accepting the resignation, Vice President Iliana Yotova will take over the functions of the head of state. Radev expressed confidence that Jotova will be a “worthy acting president.”
“Our democracy will not survive if we leave it in the hands of corrupt, businessmen and extremists. The battle for the future of our homeland lies ahead of us, and I believe that we will meet it together with all of you – worthy, inspired and unwavering!” – Radev said. And announced his intention to launch a new political project.
The resignation was announced against the backdrop of another political crisis in Bulgaria, just two months before the snap parliamentary elections.
During his tenure as president, Roumen Radev had to appoint seven interim governments due to years of political crisis and the inability of parties to form a stable majority.
The current crisis was triggered by waves of protests in Bulgaria that began last December. They were triggered by videos circulating on social networks. One showed ruling coalition MPs passing a law on Lukoil’s local assets in just 26 seconds, while another showed a lunchtime vote on a controversial draft budget.
Later, on December 11, 2025, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned amid protests. Bulgarian experts and media noted at the time that Radev might step down as president for the sake of establishing his own political party and participating in the snap parliamentary elections to be held this year.
The emergence of a new political party headed by former President Rumen Radev could not only reformat the political space, but also significantly change Bulgaria’s domestic and foreign policy, analysts said, referring to his stance on Ukraine, the euro and corruption. Earlier, they speculated that Radev would enter the parliamentary race and run for prime minister. Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic and the country is governed by parliament, the Council of Ministers and the head of government.
Radev’s position on the war in Ukraine differs from previous governments. For this reason, some analysts and opponents call him “pro-Russian”. In an address to the nation, Radev also addressed the issue, saying, “In the name of their political future, some politicians are jeopardizing the peaceful life of Bulgarians in the face of a dangerous war near our borders and even encroaching on the civil and ethnic peace that you and I will preserve despite the provocations.”
A few weeks before Bulgaria’s switch to the euro (January 1, 2026), Roumen Radev called for a referendum on the adoption of the single European currency, but parliament rejected it. “The final rupture between Bulgarians and the political class occurred after the National Assembly refused to hold a referendum on the date of the introduction of the single European currency. The representatives of the people denied the people the right to choose,” Radev said.
Extraordinary parliamentary elections in Bulgaria will be held in spring and will be the seventh since 2021.
