site.btaCoalition featuring Rumen Radev Registered for Upcoming Snap Parliamentary Elections

The Progressive Bulgaria coalition, featuring Rumen Radev, was registered for the upcoming snap parliamentary elections that will take on April 19, the former president (2017–2026) said on Facebook on Monday.

Co-Chairs of the coalition are former caretaker prime minister (2022 - 2023) and former chief of staff to Rumen Radev during his term in office as president – Galab Donev – and former caretaker defence minister and one of Radev’s former secretaries – Dimitar Stoyanov. The coalition consists of the Political Movement Social Democrats party, chaired by Elena Noneva; the Social Democratic Party, chaired by Todor Barbolov; and the Our People Movement party, chaired by Atanas Kalchev, Radev explained.

"Progressive Bulgaria is the answer to Bulgarians’ expectations for dismantling the oligarchic corruption model. To the appeal of the silent majority for freedom, solidarity, and justice. For the development of Bulgaria as a modern and democratic European state," Radev wrote. "In order to succeed, we will fight for a decisive victory, and it depends on the vote of all Bulgarians," Radev stated.

"Your trust is our strength. Our will and loyalty are a guarantee that your voice matters. Today we are taking the first step toward victory," he also wrote.

No media outlets were invited to the coalition’s registration on Monday.

Who's Who in Progressive Bulgaria

Political Movement Social Democrats were one of three parties in the initial Continue the Change coalition that took part in the November 14, 2021 parliamentary elections, show Central Election Commission data. In 2024, they joined the BSP - United Left in the October 27 elections but left the coalition in October 2025 because they felt it "was not a real part of the country's government," even though on paper it was part of the ruling coalition.

The Social Democratic Party was part of the Together coalition at the April 2, 2023 parliamentary elections which was supported by 0.35% of the voters. The political formation is the successor to the Bulgarian Workers' Social Democratic Party founded in 1903. 

The Our People Movement party took part in the local elections on October 29, 2023, under the name "Our City Movement". The party had two candidates for municipal mayors - Stefan Sabrutev came second in Smolyan with 47.47% of the votes in the runoff against GERB's Nikolay Melemov, and Trendafil Velichkov came fourth in Pazardzhik with 6.20% of the votes. In August 2022, both were appointed regional governors in their respective regions by Donev's caretaker government.