Rumen Radev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rumen Radev
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| Румен Радев | |
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Official portrait, 2026
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| Prime Minister of Bulgaria | |
| Assumed office 8 May 2026 |
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| President | Iliana Iotova |
| Deputy | Galab Donev Aleksandur Pulev Atanas Pekanov Ivo Hristov |
| Preceded by | Andrey Gyurov (caretaker) |
| President of Bulgaria | |
| In office 22 January 2017 – 23 January 2026 |
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| Preceded by | Rosen Plevneliev |
| Succeeded by | Iliana Iotova |
| Leader of Progressive Bulgaria | |
| Assumed office 2 March 2026 |
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| Preceded by | Party established |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rumen Georgiev Radev
18 June 1963 Dimitrovgrad, PR Bulgaria |
| Political party | Progressive Bulgaria (since 2026) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Education |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
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| Branch/service |  Bulgarian Air Force |
| Rank | Major general |
Rumen Georgiev Radev, born on June 18, 1963, is a Bulgarian politician. He used to be an officer in the Bulgarian Air Force. Currently, he is the Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Before this, he was the President of Bulgaria from 2017 until he stepped down in January 2026. He was the first president in Bulgaria's recent history to resign from office.
Radev was born in Dimitrovgrad. He was a commander in the Bulgarian Air Force, reaching the rank of major general, before he entered politics. In 2016, he won the presidential election as an independent candidate. He was supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and won against GERB candidate Tsetska Tsacheva. During his first time as president, he often disagreed with the prime minister at the time, Boyko Borisov. Radev won a second term in the 2021 election with 66% of the votes.
During his second term, Bulgaria faced a political situation from 2021 to 2026. After he resigned in January 2026, Radev started a new political party called Progressive Bulgaria (PB). This party took part in the 2026 parliamentary election. Progressive Bulgaria won a large number of votes, 43.9%, and gained most of the seats. This helped to resolve the political situation. He is the first person in Bulgaria's modern history to have been both President and Prime Minister.
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Growing Up and School
Rumen Radev was born on June 18, 1963, in Dimitrovgrad. This was during a time when Bulgaria was known as the People's Republic of Bulgaria. His family comes from a village called Slavyanovo. In 1982, he finished the Mathematical School in Haskovo with top honors.
Radev joined the Bulgarian Communist Party in the 1980s. He later explained that he joined mainly because he wanted to fly supersonic jets. He left the party in 1990. This was because a new law said that people in the armed forces could not be members of political parties. He did not join any other political parties until he started Progressive Bulgaria in 2026.
He graduated from the Georgi Benkovski Bulgarian Air Force University in 1987 as the best student. In 1992, he studied at the Squadron Officer School in the United States. From 1994 to 1996, he attended the Rakovski Defence and Staff College, where he also graduated with top marks. He has a special degree in improving how flight crews train and how they practice air combat. In 2003, he earned a Master's degree in Strategic Studies from Air University in the U.S.
Becoming President
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In August 2016, two political parties, the BSP and ABR, suggested Radev as a candidate for president. In November 2016, ABR changed its mind and supported another candidate. In the first round of the election on November 6, Radev received the most votes. He then competed against GERB candidate Tsetska Tsacheva in a second round on November 13. Radev won with 59.37% of the votes.
First Term as President
After becoming president, Radev often disagreed with the prime minister, Boyko Borisov. Radev believed there were issues with how the government was run. He often used his power to stop new laws proposed by Borisov's party. In his first two and a half years, he stopped 19 proposed laws.
Borisov, in turn, said that Radev was making it harder for the government to work. He also accused Radev of supporting the opposition party during elections. In 2019, Radev said that the government was not doing enough to solve problems in the country. He mentioned rising prices and low wages.
Radev was quite popular during most of his time as president. He was elected with about 60% approval in 2016. This approval stayed high until 2018, even reaching 67%. By late 2019, his approval was around 56%. Even with this change, he was still seen as one of Bulgaria's most popular politicians. By April 2020, his approval rating was about 49%.
Second Term and Challenges
On February 1, 2021, Radev announced he would run for president again with Iliana Iotova. The election was held on November 14, 2021. Several parties supported Radev, including ITN, PP, and BSPzB. Radev and Iotova received 49.42% of the votes in the first round.
They then went to a second round against Anastas Gerdzhikov, who was supported by GERB. Radev won this second round with 66.7% of the votes. He started his second term as president with a 58.5% approval rating. However, his popularity later decreased, reaching 33% in June 2023. His approval ratings improved in 2024 and 2025, averaging around 40% before he resigned in January 2026.
Serving as Prime Minister
On February 18, 2026, President Iliana Iotova appointed a temporary government. Andrey Gyurov became the caretaker Prime Minister. A new parliamentary election was set for April 19, 2026. Gyurov's government asked the European Union for help. They wanted to prevent outside interference in the election through social media.
Radev said that this request was a plan to cancel the election if his party won. In March 2026, Radev started a new political party called Progressive Bulgaria (PB). This party focused on making big changes and fighting against corruption. Radev described his party as a strong new option to help Bulgarians trust their government again.
He had supported protests against corruption. He also promised to end a system where a few powerful people controlled things. In the 2026 Bulgarian parliamentary election, Progressive Bulgaria won a huge victory. They received 43.9% of the votes and most of the seats in parliament. This win helped to end the five-year political situation in Bulgaria.
Rumen Radev officially became Prime Minister on May 8, 2026. He received the first chance to form a government on May 7.
His Views and Goals
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Radev is seen as a politician who supports the center-left. He is also described as a moderate nationalist. He ran in the 2026 election with a strong focus on fighting corruption. He wants to make sure that the government works fairly for everyone.
When it comes to working with other countries, Radev has expressed his views on various international topics. He believes in finding common ground with other nations. He also thinks it is important to protect Bulgaria's interests. He has spoken about the importance of dialogue and cooperation in international relations.
Personal Details
Radev has two children from his first marriage to Ginka Radeva. Their daughter, Darina, was born in 2001. Their son, Georgi, was born in 2003. This marriage ended in 2014. He later married Desislava Gencheva in 2016.
Besides Bulgarian, Radev can also speak Russian, German, and English. Radev's father passed away on April 3, 2020.
Radev is a member of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. He supports efforts to teach religious education in Bulgarian schools. He believes that supporting the church and the spiritual well-being of people is important for the country.
Military Service
Radev had a long and successful career in the military. He served in the Bulgarian Air Force for many years.
- 1987 – 1989: Junior pilot in the 15th Fighter Aviation Regiment.
- 1989 – 1992: Deputy commander of a unit at the 15th Fighter Aviation Regiment.
- 1992 – 1997: Unit commander at the 15th Fighter Aviation Regiment.
- 1997 – 1999: MiG-29 squadron commander at the Fifth Fighter Airbase.
- 1999 – 2000: Deputy commander for flight preparation at the Fifth Fighter Airbase.
- 2000: Deputy commander for flight training at the Third Fighter Airbase.
- 2000 – 2002: Chief of Staff of the Third Fighter Airbase.
- 2002 – 2004: Chief of Staff of the Third Fighter Airbase.
- 2004 – 2009: Commander of the Third Fighter Airbase.
- 2009 – 2014: Bulgarian Air Force deputy commander.
- 2014 – 2017: Bulgarian Air Force commander.
Flying High: Radev's Flight Experience
Radev is a highly skilled pilot, known as a Pilot 1st class. He has flown many types of aircraft. These include L-29 and L-39 trainers. He also flew MiG-15UTI, MiG-17, MiG-21, and MiG-29 fighter jets.
He has also had familiarization flights in advanced jets like the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, SAAB Gripen, and Dassault Rafale. He has flown for over 1,400 hours. In 2014, he organized an air show called "This We Are!". During this show, he personally performed impressive maneuvers like the "Bell" and "Pugachev's Cobra" in a MiG-29.
Ranks and Achievements
Radev moved up through the military ranks during his career:
- 1987: Lieutenant
- 1989: Senior lieutenant
- 1994: Captain
- 1997: Major
- 1999: Lieutenant colonel
- 2002: Colonel
- 2007: Brigadier general
- 2014: Major general
- 2017: General (Commander-in-Chief)
Awards and Recognitions
Radev has received many awards and honors for his service.
National Honours
- Grand Master of the Order of the Balkan Mountains
- Grand Master of the Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius
- Grand Master of the Order of Civil Merit
- Grand Master of the Order of Military Merit
- Grand Master of the Order of the Madara Horseman
International Honours
Greece:
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer (2017)
Italy:
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (April 10, 2024)
Malta
- Companions of Honour of the National Order of Merit (February 5, 2018)
Portugal:
- Grand Cross of the Order of Aviz (January 30, 2019)
- Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (April 12, 2022)
Sovereign Military Order of Malta:
- Collar of the Order pro Merito Melitensi (December 13, 2019)
See also
In Spanish: Rumen Radev para niños
