SOFIA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Progressive Bulgaria coalition, led by former President Rumen Radev, won 131 seats in the 240-member parliament in Sunday's elections, according to final results announced by the country's Central Election Commission (CEC) on Thursday.

Bulgarian former President Rumen Radev (File photo: Agencies)

The GERB-UDF coalition came second with 39 seats, the CEC said.

Three other political formations also entered parliament: the We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) coalition with 37 seats, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) with 21 seats, and the Revival party with 12 seats.

Under the constitution, the newly elected parliament must be convened for its first session by the president, who will then task the largest parliamentary group with forming a government. The proposed government must be approved by a simple majority vote.

This marks Bulgaria's eighth parliamentary election in five years, following the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's government in December 2025 amid mass protests over its economic policies and the subsequent failure of parliament to form a new cabinet.

Radev, born in 1963, was first elected president in November 2016, re-elected in November 2021, and began his second consecutive term in January 2022. He resigned in January 2026 ahead of snap parliamentary elections.