Bulgarians are heading to the polls Sunday for their eighth general election in five years, attempting to end a prolonged period of political crisis and gridlock. The election follows mass protests over corruption and economic policies that resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and his cabinet in December.
Former president Rumen Radev is the current frontrunner in the polls. A left-leaning figure and critic of the EU, Radev has promised to stamp out widespread corruption and end the cycle of weak, short-lived governments. His pro-Russian stance has led analysts and former diplomats to fear the influence of the Kremlin as Moscow seeks to retain influence inside the EU.
Voters appear broadly split along generational lines. Some young Bulgarians, such as 23-year-old Anna Bodakova, are standing to become MPs after participating in the protests that brought down the previous government. Meanwhile, the pro-European GERB party trails in the polls following unrest that toppled the rule of Boyko Borissov.
As the Black Sea country seeks a new parliament, many citizens express a yearning for the prosperity enjoyed by other Europeans. The outcome will determine if the country can finally move past years of instability.