Bulgaria goes to the polls for eighth parliamentary election in five years

A woman votes during the parliamentary elections in Sofia, Bulgaria, this Sunday (19). REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva Bulgaria’s election polls opened at 1am Brasília time (7am local time) this Sunday (19) for the eighth parliamentary election in five years. Pro-Russian former president Rumen Radev is the favorite in exit polls. In his campaign, he promised to end the sequence of ephemeral governments and eradicate widespread corruption. Radev, a euroskeptic former fighter pilot who opposes military support for Ukraine’s war against Moscow, resigned as president in January to run in the election, which comes after mass protests forced the downfall of the previous government in December. A well-structured social media campaign, robust coffers and the promise of stability have boosted support for Radev in the Balkan country of about 6.5 million people, where voters are tired of frequent snap elections and a small group of veteran politicians widely seen as corrupt. The cost of living is also an important issue, as Bulgaria, a member of the European Union and NATO, adopted the euro in January. The previous government fell amid protests against a new budget that proposed tax increases and higher social security contributions. Protests oust Bulgarian prime minister

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