(Sofia) The Bulgarians unsurprisingly renewed their confidence in their president on Sunday, who has become a key figure in the anti-corruption movement in this country, the poorest in the EU, according to out-of-ballot estimates.
Roumen Radev, a 58-year-old former fighter pilot and former head of the armed forces, won between 63 and 65% of the vote, according to three polling institutes.
His opponent Anastas Guerdjikov, who presented himself with the support of the conservative party Gerb of ex-prime minister Boïko Borissov, is credited with 31 to 33% of the vote.
The poll, the fourth of the year, took place in the midst of the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Less than 25% of the 6.9 million inhabitants are fully vaccinated, mortality is one of the highest in the world and dilapidated hospitals are overwhelmed.
In this parliamentary republic of the Balkans, it is the government which defines the policy, the president having an essentially ceremonial role.
“President of change”
But Roumen Radev, a novice when he won in 2016, has given the function another dimension and has established himself over the years as a key figure in the political game.
His re-election is good news for the young anti-corruption party “Continue the change”, winner a week ago in the legislative elections.
“The choice of the president will influence the whole development of Bulgaria,” warned Kiril Petkov, who is running for the post of prime minister. He called this week to vote for the one “who started the change”.
In the summer of 2020, Mr. Radev clearly sided with the demonstrators demanding the resignation of Boyko Borissov.
Then, after the April 4 elections which sealed the fall of his sworn enemy but led to a political impasse, the general once again found himself in full light.
He chose new faces to compose the interim government, which gained wide popularity for uncovering corrupt practices from the Borisov era.
Apathy
And these are two former ministers of this team who won the legislative ballot.
Mr. Petkov and his sidekick, Assen Vassilev, this week started negotiations to get out of a crisis unprecedented since the end of the communist regime.
In the capital Sofia, voters had confided their desire for a “new start”.
“Everything is going wrong. I want that to change for my children, grandchildren and former students, ”testified in the morning a retired teacher, Dobrinka Nakova, who took to the streets last year.
But most Bulgarians were less enthusiastic after already three elections this year: according to the Election Commission, the turnout was 24% at 4 p.m., down sharply compared to 2016.
PHOTO SPASIYANA SERGIEVA, REUTERS
According to the Electoral Commission, the turnout was 24% at 4 p.m., down sharply compared to 2016.
“Do not divide the nation”
Hailed by many for his role in the marginalization of Boïko Borissov after a decade in power, Roumen Radev is accused by his detractors of overstepping his duties and of “taking sides”.
“The role of the president is to unite the nation, not to divide it”, had launched his adversary Anastas Guerdjikov during the debate between two rounds.
The rector of the University of Sofia, also 58 years old, had also attacked Roumen Radev on his supposed pro-Russian sympathies, which had earned him the nickname of “red general”.
But during his mandate, the latter qualified his positions and “is no longer considered the man of Moscow”, analysts say.
“The classic axes of division in Bulgaria-East-West, right / left-have been overtaken by a new axis common to all the elections this year”: the fed up after 10 years of Borissov era, summed up the political scientist Antony Todorov from the New Bulgarian University.