Sofia, 8 May 2026 (BTA/MIA) - Bulgaria's Parliament voted 124-70 with 36 abstentions to elect Rumen Radev of Progressive Bulgaria as Prime Minister.

The 124 votes in favour came from Progressive Bulgaria. Voting against the Cabinet were 21 MPs of Movement for Rights and Freedoms, 21 MPs of Democratic Bulgaria, 16 MPs of Continue the Change, 12 MPs of Vazrazhdane. Thirty-six MPs of GERB-UDF abstained.

During the parliamentary debate, GERB-UDF, the second-largest political force in the National Assembly, said it would abstain in the vote, while warning that its position could later shift to vote against. Democratic Bulgaria, Continue the Change, and Vazrazhdane had already announced that they would vote against the proposed Cabinet.

On Thursday, President Iliana Iotova handed the first exploratory mandate to form a government to Radev, who was nominated for prime minister by Progressive Bulgaria, the largest parliamentary group in the 52nd National Assembly. Immediately afterward, Radev presented to Iotova the composition and structure of a draft cabinet.

The new government consists of a prime minister, four deputy prime ministers, and 18 ministers. The new Cabinet has one fewer ministry than the previous government. The Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Innovation, and the Ministry of e-Government will be merged and reorganized into two ministries.

Parliament voted 122-70 with 36 abstentions to approve the composition of the Cabinet.

The members of the newly elected Council of Ministers were then sworn in before the 52nd National Assembly.

Following is the Radev Cabinet: Prime Minister - Rumen Radev; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance – Galab Donev; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry – Alexander Pulev; Deputy Prime Minister – Ivo Hristov; Deputy Prime Minister – Atanas Pekanov; Minister of Interior – Ivan Demerdzhiev; Minister of Defence – Dimitar Stoyanov; Minister of Foreign Affairs – Velislava Petrova-Chamova; Minister of Justice – Nikolay Naydenov; Minister of Labour and Social Policy – Natalia Efremova; Minister of Education and Science – Georgi Valchev; Minister of Health – Katya Ivkova; Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation – Ivan Vasilev; Minister of Regional Development and Public Works – Ivan Shishkov; Minister of Energy – Iva Petrova; Minister of Transport and Communications – Georgi Peev; Minister of Agriculture and Food – Plamen Abrovski; Minister of Environment and Water – Rositsa Karamfilova-Blagova; Minister of Culture – Evtim Miloshev; Minister of Tourism – Ilin Dimitrov; Minister of Youth and Sports – Encho Keryazov.

Photo: EPA