Crisis-hit Bulgaria votes in eighth election in five years

Bulgaria on Sunday held its eighth legislative election in five years, with ex-president Rumen Radev's grouping tipped to win on a pledge to fight corruption, after an anti-graft movement triggered a long political crisis.

The European Union's poorest member has been through successive governments since 2021, when anti-graft rallies ended the conservative administration of long-time leader Boyko Borissov.

Radev, who has called for renewing ties with Russia and opposes military aid to Ukraine, was president for nine years in the Balkan nation of 6.5 million people.

He stepped down in January and now leads the new center-left Progressive Bulgaria group of parties. Opinion polls before the election suggested his coalition could gain 35 percent of votes for the 240-seat parliament.

The former air force general, 62, has said he wants to rid the country of its "oligarchic governance model." He backed new anti-corruption protests last year that brought down the latest conservative-backed government.

"I'm voting for change," Decho Kostadinov, 57, told AFP after casting his ballot in the capital, Sofia, adding corrupt politicians "should leave -- they should take whatever they've stolen and get out of Bulgaria."

Several voters queued at the polling station even before it opened at 7:00 a.m. (0400 GMT). Voting ends at 1700 GMT, with exit polls expected immediately afterward. Final results are expected on Monday at the earliest.

AFP