The latest results, after more than 91% of votes were counted, confirm that Radev will have an absolute majority in the new parliament as he appears to be on course for some 130 seats in the 240-seat parliament.

Former Bulgarian president Rumen Radev speaks to journalists after the polls closed in Sunday's election, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Photograph: Valentina Petrova/AP

AFP notes that the landslide victory marks the first outright parliamentary majority for a single formation in Bulgaria since 1997 when a centre-right, pro-European grouping won.

But in a sign of tensions to come, Radev said that “a strong Bulgaria and a strong Europe need critical thinking and pragmatism.”

“Europe has fallen victim to its own ambition to be a moral leader in a world with new rules,” he told reporters.

Guess we will have to wait and see what that means in practice.