Radan Kunev elected DSB head, urges united right‑wing opposition

Radan Kunev was elected chairman of the Bulgarian party Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB) after receiving 302 of 530 votes at the party’s national assembly. He succeeded Atanas Atanasov, who will not seek another term.

Kunev said DSB aims to be at the centre of a common right‑wing effort, warning that “the risk of President Radev turning the power into a left‑populist authoritarian regime” must be stopped. He called for the entire democratic opposition, including the “We Continue the Change” movement, to back a single presidential candidate in the autumn election, but ruled out a joint ticket with GERD.

He criticised the lack of distinction between the current GERD‑DPS‑Radev coalition and the previous government, describing the overlap of old party networks with new forces as “a huge national risk”. Kunev also noted that his party will focus on preparing for the 2027 local elections and strengthening its role within the broader “Democratic Bulgaria” coalition.

The leadership election also featured candidates Jordan Ivanov and Vasko Vasilev, who presented their visions for the party’s future. Kunev stressed the need for a “bold right‑wing alternative” and a national consensus leading to “Bulgaria 2050”.