The winner of the Bulgarian elections, another black sheep of the EU
Radev says he is committed to the EU and NATO, but also wants to strengthen ties with Russia
BrusselsA week after Viktor Orbán's defeat, pro-Russian and Eurosceptic candidate Rumen Radev has won the elections in Bulgaria. The departure of Hungary's current acting prime minister was met with great enthusiasm in Brussels, but in no case was it a definitive blow to leaders who hinder the proper functioning of the European Union and are close to the Kremlin. Although Radev remains committed to the European bloc and NATO, he has often railed against the aid the community club provides to Ukraine and the sanctions it has imposed on Russia. He is also critical of the euro's entry into Bulgaria, which has been part of the eurozone since January, and is opposed to the European green agenda and community regulations on LGBTIQ+ rights. Furthermore, he has openly declared himself a follower of Orbán.
After years of instability in the Bulgarian country, which is the poorest in the EU and is suffering from a price increase crisis, Radev has achieved an absolute majority in the elections this Sunday. With almost all votes counted, the Bulgarian Electoral Commission has reported that Radev's party, Progressive Bulgaria, would obtain nearly 45% of the votes and 131 out of the 240 seats in the Bulgarian Parliament. In this way, he will not need the support of the rest of the political forces, such as the pro-European and liberal coalition We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria or Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. Both parties have secured just over 13% of the votes.
Radev's absolute majority will provide political stability to the Bulgarian country, which is usually well received in Brussels. However, the reaction of both the European Commission and the heads of state and government of most member states to his victory has been much more timid than to Magyar's a week ago. Even the head of the European executive herself, Ursula von der Leyen, did not hide her joy at the victory of the Europeanist Magyar. "Hungary has chosen Europe," she tweeted 17 minutes after the results of the Hungarian elections were known.
On the other hand, with Bulgaria, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, António Costa, have adopted a completely institutional tone. "I look forward to working together with you on our shared agenda for Europe's prosperity, autonomy, and security," the two community leaders tweeted.
The different reactions from Brussels regarding the electoral results of Hungary and Bulgaria highlight the EU's fears that, after Orbán's departure, another leader might arrive who constantly obstructs initiatives with broad consensus within the community bloc, especially those related to aiding Ukraine and sanctioning Russia. In fact, the Kremlin has celebrated the victory of the pro-Russian candidate in the Bulgarian elections. "We are positively impressed by Mr. Radev's words about the willingness to solve problems with Russia," assured the Russian Presidential spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, in his daily press conference.
The black sheep of the EU
Radev will not be the only head of state or government in the European club who plays a double game and, despite not wanting to break away from Brussels, intends to strengthen ties with the Kremlin. Often, countries with pro-Russian and populist governments, such as Slovakia and the Czech Republic, also hinder measures favorable to Kyiv and contrary to Moscow. Furthermore, these countries – as Poland did previously – often fail to comply with European regulations regarding the rule of law, separation of powers, or respect for communities like the LGBTIQ+.
Radev's statements, despite having declared himself an admirer of Orbán's policies, suggest that the Bulgarian leader will not be as great a headache for the EU as the current acting Hungarian prime minister. The winner of the Bulgarian elections has confirmed his commitment to the European bloc and NATO, and it is expected that he will have an attitude more similar to that of Slovakia or the Czech Republic. That is, they may want to exclude themselves from some of the EU's broad consensus, but they will not systematically veto them and use them for electoral purposes to the extent that Orbán does.
Be that as it may, more and more voices within the European Union are advocating for abandoning the obligation to approve measures by unanimity, especially in foreign policy. Von der Leyen herself joined this call last Monday. This way, it would be avoided that a single country or a few countries have the power to veto initiatives that have broad consensus within the European bloc.