Bulgaria's former pro-Putin president Radev takes strong lead in election, preliminary results show

Progressive Bulgaria, the party of Bulgaria’s pro-Russian former president Rumen Radev, was leading in Sunday’s parliamentary election with 44.59% of votes, after 32% of votes were counted, official results showed.

Radev, a eurosceptic and former fighter pilot who opposes military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Moscow, stepped down from the presidency in January to run in the parliamentary election, which comes after mass protests forced out the previous government in December.

This is a developing story.