Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 13 November 2016: Bulgaria Presidential Election

The Bulgarian presidential election had been won by Rumen Radev, a Bulgarian Major General in the second round. He won with 59.4% of the vote with a turnout of 50.4% (around half a million fewer voters turned out for the second vote). Mr Radev, 53, launched his presidential bid as an independent candidate, supported by a group of citizens, and only later got Socialist Party (BSP) backing. He will be sworn in as president in January.

The presidential post is largely ceremonial and power is held by the prime minister. If Bulgaria’s opposition Socialists refuse to form a government following Borissov’s resignation, as they’ve said they will, Radev can dissolve parliament after taking office in January and call a snap election for March at the earliest.

He wants the EU to drop its sanctions on Russia and seeks closer ties with Moscow to help Bulgaria's struggling economy. It is the EU's poorest state, and was once in the Soviet bloc. Throughout his campaign, Mr Radev has repeatedly expressed pro-Russian sentiments, though it is unclear whether these are clear policies or a form of political maneuvering. The Bulgarian president has a big role in defense and foreign policy, but most key decisions are taken by the government. He has the power to send legislation back to parliament.