Radical Democratic Party (Bulgaria)

The Radical Democratic Party (Bulgarian: Радикалдемократическа партия, Radikaldemokraticheska Partiya) was a political party in Bulgaria. Founded in 1902, it represented a liberal and democratic strand within Bulgarian politics.

The party emerged from a split within the Democratic Party, with the Radical Democrats advocating for a more consistent and uncompromising application of democratic principles, including greater social justice measures and agrarian reform. Their ideology leaned towards left-liberalism, often emphasizing individual liberties, civic rights, and the rule of law, combined with a focus on improving the conditions of peasants and workers.

Prominent leaders of the Radical Democratic Party included Naycho Tsanov and Stoyan Kosturkov. Throughout its history, the party participated in various coalition governments, often aligning with other liberal or agrarian parties to form governing majorities or oppose authoritarian regimes.

The Radical Democratic Party was banned along with other non-communist parties after the communist takeover in Bulgaria following World War II. After the fall of communism in 1989, attempts were made to revive the party, but it did not regain its former prominence and eventually dissolved. The historical legacy of the Radical Democratic Party remains as a significant chapter in the development of liberal and democratic thought in Bulgaria.