If after his resignation, Rumen Radev creates his own party or heads an already existing movement, according to surveys he has a good chance of being the largest force in the next parliament, writes Michael Martens in "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (FAZ).
The publication notes that Radev has been the most popular politician in Bulgaria for a long time, which is not unusual if you hold the presidential post. It is not clear, however, how Radev's entry into the legislative and executive branches of government could affect the political landscape in Bulgaria and its geopolitical orientation, the author notes.
Martens recalls that in recent years Radev has repeatedly attracted attention with statements that raise doubts about whether he supports European support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, as well as that in the "historical dispute" with North Macedonia he advocates a nationalist course that questions the identity of Macedonians.
FAC also recalls how Radev took a skeptical position towards the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria.
Radev's speech - an accurate analysis, not devoid of populism
Michael Martens defines Radev's farewell speech on "Dondukov" 2 as a fairly accurate analysis of the circumstances in Bulgaria, not devoid of populism. He asked several rhetorical questions - such as why Bulgarians do not trust the media and justice and why there have been repeated large protests in the country in recent years. The answers he gave will probably sound partially convincing even to those who are skeptical of the general, we read in the FAC.
Radev said that although Bulgaria is ostensibly a democracy, it functions "according to the mechanisms of the oligarchy", and politics is implemented outside of formal institutions. The President of Bulgaria spoke of people who have taken over "parties, banks, companies and media" in order to use this power as a weapon against their political opponents. And for most citizens of the country, it is clear who he is referring to, even without naming him - Delyan Peevski, writes Michael Martens.
According to Radev, the final rift between the population and the political class occurred because of the parliament's refusal to grant his request to hold a referendum on the date of the introduction of the euro, FACS also notes.
"Will the Kremlin's friend found a new party?"
"Tageszeitung" in turn recalls that there has been speculation about Radev's political ambitions for months. And after his speech, the question of who his potential partners would be was immediately raised. The publication quotes Nadezhda Yordanova from the PP-DB with the two conditions she formulated for possible cooperation with Radev: the dismantling of the "Borisov-Peevski" model, as well as a clearly formulated pro-European orientation.
A number of other German-language publications, such as nTV, also write about Radev's resignation and his political ambitions, which even include the headline: "Will the Kremlin's friend found a new party?"
The Austrian "Die Presse" writes about the "Battle for the Homeland" in Bulgaria and how Radev has set himself a new goal - the prime minister's post.