Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria party looks set to win Sunday's Bulgarian Parliamentary election - the eighth general election in five years.

Exit polls put his Progressive Bulgaria on 37%, more than double the score of the closest runner-up, former prime minister Boiko Borisov's GERB on 16%.

Three or four other parties look set to cross the 4% threshold and enter Parliament.

The election was called after the previous government tried to push through a controversial budget last December, prompting mass demonstrations which Radev, as president, supported.

People rejected the self-satisfaction and arrogance of old parties and did not fall prey to lies and manipulation. I thank them for their trust, Radev said in his victory speech.

He promised to build a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe.

What Europe needs right now is critical thinking, pragmatic actions and good results, especially to build a new security architecture and … recover its industrial power and competitiveness. That will be the main contribution of Bulgaria to its European mission, he said.

Radev, 62, is seen as a pragmatic, somewhat pro-Russian leader, who has criticized EU sanctions and called for constructive dialogue with the Kremlin. He opposes Bulgarian military support for Ukraine.

He fought this election largely on domestic policies, promising to combat corruption and restore stable governance after years of weak coalitions.

He stepped down after nine years as president in January to form his new movement.

A former Mig-29 fighter pilot and commander-in-chief of the Bulgarian Air Force, his victory is notable by Bulgarian standards but does not give Progressive Bulgaria a strong enough mandate to govern alone.

In his first speech on Sunday evening, Radev indicated he is looking for coalition partners.

Bulgaria is an important supplier of ammunition and explosives to Ukraine through third countries, notably neighboring Romania. The ongoing war has rejuvenated an arms industry that has struggled since the Soviet era.

Since 2022, Radev has frequently spoken out against the sale of Bulgarian stockpiles of Soviet-era weapons to Ukraine, suggesting it prolongs a war Ukraine cannot win, echoing sentiments of the outgoing Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban.

The VMZ factory in Sopot, two hours' drive from Sofia, produces explosives and NATO-grade 155 mm artillery shells. In October 2025, the German arms company Rheinmetall announced a €1 billion joint venture with VMZ to produce up to 100,000 155mm shells a year.

A separate gunpowder factory will also be established in Sopot. Rheinmetall will hold a 51% stake in this venture.

This production is part of wider efforts across Europe to enhance military capabilities.

While he opposes military supplies to Ukraine, Radev has claimed credit for inviting Rheinmetall's CEO, Armin Papperger, to Bulgaria in March 2025.

Bulgaria is becoming part of the European defense ecosystem, Radev stated during a visit to Rheinmetall's headquarters in Unterluss, Germany, in August 2025.

His governance approach is expected to parallel that of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is critical of EU military support while allowing private companies to manufacture arms for Ukraine.