60047 | 11 Feb. 2026 | 18:20

аAn illustrative example is the institutional transfer of responsibility, which was seen at the end of the presidential mandate - the exchange of statements between the government and Radev, who received an invitation from Trump to join the "Council

 In Bulgarian politics, there is a lack of real debate on foreign policy issues, despite the country being directly affected by global processes. This makes the public conversation fragmented and the decisions – incomprehensible to society.

 In an interview with BGNEZ, sociologist from "Alpha Research" Boriana Dimitrova stated that the problem is not one-sided, but deeply contradictory.

 A telling example of this style of action is the institutional transfer of responsibility, which was seen at the end of President Rumen Radev's term - the exchange of remarks between the government and the president about who received the invitation from Trump for the "Peace Council", who forwarded it and what it is about. This is a symptom of a deeper problem - neglecting foreign policy as a public conversation.

 "Parties have stakes, but society is unaware of them."

 On one hand, there is a lack of debate, on the other hand - parties clearly make their foreign policy choices. However, information about them does not reach a large part of society, which according to sociologists is a serious democratic damage.

 "Radev's strategy is high level of unpredictability."

 Against this background, the logical question arises - is it possible for a politician to not have a clear foreign policy position? Dimitrova notes that the behavior of Rumen Radev - both during his nine years as president and after stepping into active political field - fits into a broader strategy of unpredictability on key issues.

 This uncertainty applies not only to foreign policy, but also to internal political topics. “

 “Empty slogans without clear “how”

 Radev stays at the level of general formulas - fight against oligarchy, justice, judicial reform, independence - but without clarity on what is specifically proposed and how it will be achieved. The ambiguity is even more visible on foreign policy issues.

 “Good strategy for elections, bad for governance“

 According to her, this type of evasiveness works well during election campaigns - it doesn't repel voters from different camps and allows for “gathering.“ However, as a governance strategy, it is problematic. At the moment when a politician is required not just to express opinions, but to sign documents, vote and make decisions, the vagueness can lead to serious disappointment.”

 "The voter turnout will increase"

 The large protests and public tension are already reflecting on attitudes. According to "Alpha Research", interest in politics is growing, especially among the younger generation. The upcoming elections will not see a repeat of record low participation levels. The younger generations, who were apathetic for a long time, are now showing greater engagement. They do not remember the Iron Curtain and perceive free movement and Europe as a given. Therefore, a pro-European orientation is key for them.
 

 The majority of protesters in the major cities sympathize with other political forces, mainly due to their pro-European direction. But in the country, there are also people deeply disappointed with the status quo and the way economic and governmental interests are concentrated. Some of them will probably be attracted by Rumen Radev.

 "It's difficult for Radev to be presented as a politician of change," says Dimitrova.

 According to her, Radev is not a new politician and his positions are well known - not only verbally, but also through his actions. Therefore, it is difficult for him to be defined as a bearer of radical change. In political technology, it is often more important how you look, rather than who you are. The perception of Radev as "something new" does not come from a clearly articulated project - such a project does not yet exist - but from the dissatisfaction with existing parties. For many voters, the motivation is negative: voting "against" rather than "for."

 The question of whether Radev's project can cause a political "tsunami" can rather be seen as a "wave," reflected in increased voter turnout.

 "The crest of the wave won't be just for one"

 This wave won't only be directed towards Radev. Other political forces will also take part in it and the end result will depend on how all participants will enter the campaign, stated Boriana Dimitrova.

 According to the sociologist, an interesting and important campaign is ahead. We should not neglect any scenario, because in a society that is very emotionally and socially anxious, unexpected events can serve as a trigger for a vote in one or another direction, she concluded.