site.btaRumen Radev Named Progressive Bulgaria's Candidate for Prime Minister

Rumen Radev is the prime ministerial nominee of Progressive Bulgaria. Earlier on Thursday, President Iliana Iotova handed him the first exploratory mandate for forming a government.

Radev served as President of Bulgaria from 2017 to 2026. On January 19, 2026, he announced in an address to the nation that he was resigning as Head of State, and the Constitutional Court terminated his powers effective January 23, according to information published on the coalition's website.

Radev graduated top of his class from the Air Force School in Dolna Mitropolia. In 1992, he completed the Maxwell Squadron Officer School course in the United States. Between 1994 and 1996, he studied at the G. S. Rakovski Military Academy, again graduating top of his class. In 2003, he completed the Air War College "Maxwell" programme in the US with a master's degree in Strategic Studies. His name is inscribed in the college's Hall of Fame.

Radev has more than 1,400 flight hours as a fighter pilot and was a MiG-29 demonstration pilot. He reached the rank of major general and served as commander of the Bulgarian Air Force between 2014 and 2016. In 2000, he earned a doctorate in military sciences focused on tactical flight training and air combat simulation.

At the snap parliamentary elections on April 19, Radev headed Progressive Bulgaria's candidate lists in Sofia's 25th electoral district and in Burgas, and was subsequently elected to the 52nd National Assembly.

He speaks English, Russian and German.