Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria party has won Sunday's Bulgarian Parliamentary election - the eighth general election in five years.

With 87% of the vote counted, his Progressive Bulgaria (PB) has secured a majority of at least 135 seats in the 240-seat parliament.

PB beat the liberal PP-DB coalition, which stood at 15%, and ex-prime minister Boiko Borisov's GERB party, which had 13%, according to the commission.

The election was called after the previous government tried to push through a controversial budget in December, prompting mass protests 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 criticised EU sanctions, and called for constructive dialogue with the Kremlin.

He opposes Bulgarian military support for Ukraine, but is unlikely to replicate Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's role as a spoiler of EU backing for Kyiv.

Analysts in the capital Sofia suggest he will take a pragmatic approach, allowing Bulgarian arms exports via third countries, but ending direct support of military equipment from the Soviet era arsenal.

He fought this election largely on domestic policies, promising to combat corruption, and restore stable government after years of weak and easily-toppled 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 impressive by Bulgarian standards.

The result gives Progressive Bulgaria a mandate to govern alone, but will need the support of the party in second place, called "We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria", to pass key legislation ending political pressure on the judiciary, which requires a two-thirds majority.

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

Bulgaria is an important supplier of ammunition and explosives to Ukraine, through third countries, especially neighbouring Romania.

The war has given a boost to an arms industry which has struggled since the Soviet era.

Since 2022, Radev has frequently spoken out against the sale of the Bulgarian stockpile of Soviet era weapons to Ukraine, on the grounds that they prolong a war Ukraine cannot win - a similar argument to that made by outgoing Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban.

The VMZ factory in Sopot, two hours drive east of Sofia, produces explosives and NATO-grade 155 mm artillery shells.

In October 2025, the German arms company Rheinmetall announced a €1bn joint venture with VMZ, to produce up to 100,000 155mm shells a year.

A separate gunpowder factory will also be built in Sopot. Rheinmetall will have a 51% share in the company.

Production will be part of efforts across Europe to scale up military production.

While he opposes military supplies to Ukraine, Radev took credit for inviting the CEO of Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger to Bulgaria in March 2025.

"Bulgaria is becoming part of the European defence ecosystem," Radev said, on a visit to the Rheinmetall headquarters in Unterluss, Germany, in August 2025.

His position, as head of government, seems likely to be similar to that of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico - critical of EU support, but not imposing a veto on the manufacture of arms by private companies for Ukraine.

The national police chief has branded the case an "unprecedented crime" unlike any other seen before in the country.

The move is dividing the nation - some welcome it as a bold leap forwards, but others fear it will lead to economic stagnation.

Rosen Zhelyazkov's dramatic move came ahead of a vote of no confidence in parliament, and 20 days before Bulgaria joins the euro.

Demonstrators said the plan - the country's first in euros - attempted to hide widespread government corruption.

Three Bulgarians are jailed for painting red hands on France's Holocaust Memorial in a suspected case of Russian "destabilisation".