Bulgarian politician Rumen Radev on Monday announced that he will officially resign as the nation's president on Tuesday. He will be replaced by Vice President Iliana Yotova, who will serve in his stead until new elections are held.

Radev's term was slated to end in 2026. He is the first leader to resign in Bulgaria since the end of communist rule in 1991.

In an address to the nation, Radev said, "The battle for the future of our homeland lies ahead, and I believe we will face it together with all of you — the worthy, the inspired, and the unyielding! We are ready. We can, and we will succeed!"

A new political party for Bulgaria?

Bulgaria, an EU and NATO member state that adopted the Euro currency on January 1, 2026, was rocked by anti-corruption protests in November and December that brought down the prior center-right government.

Radev, a former air force general critical of the prior government, has said he may participate in the upcoming election, though it has been rumored that he may start a new party if he does.

Asked recently about the prospect of starting a new party, Radek said Bulgaria needs a party that "unites all democrats — left and right regardless of where they belong and whether they are politically active at all, because we all need fair elections and democratic, free development."

Radev says 'pernicious model of governance' has led to poverty and protest

Radev has blamed the nation's "pernicious model of governance" as the source of poverty, protest and distrust of political institutions. 

The watchdog group Transparency International ranks Bulgaria as one of the most corrupt countries in the EU.

The nation has experienced political instability since massive anti-corruption protests first gripped the nation in 2020.

The new vote is expected in late March or April.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar

Editor's note: A previous version of this article referred to Bulgaria as a former Soviet country when in fact it was a communist country with close ties to the USSR. This has been corrected, DW apologizes for the mistake. January 20, 2025.