Mass protests in Sofia toppled Bulgaria’s government, setting the stage for a parliamentary election that saw former president Rumen Radev win a landslide. His coalition, Progressive Bulgaria, camped on dismantling an entrenched oligarchy, naming Delyan Peevski as a primary target after years of media, judiciary and political influence amidst accusations of corruption that have plagued the nation for a decade.

After the vote, the acting prosecutor general, widely seen as Peevski’s proxy, stepped down. Peevski, who kept his parliamentary seat and immunity, offered a curt congratulations to Radev. The new government faces the immediate task of reforming the Supreme Judicial Council and prosecutor general’s office, institutions long used to shield its allies from accountability and investigators across the country today.

International sanctions have already rattled Peevski’s empire. In 2021 the United States imposed Global Magnitsky penalties, and Britain followed in 2023, citing serious corruption. These measures, coupled with the new administration’s pledge, could reshape Bulgaria’s media ownership and judicial independence, affecting investors who have long viewed the country as a high‑risk, corruption‑laden market for short term investments and foreign capital flows.