List of heads of state of Bulgaria

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This is a list of the heads of the modern Bulgarian state, from the establishment of the Principality of Bulgaria to the present day.

It also lists the general secretaries of the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1948–1990. From 1948 onwards, the general secretary was the country's de facto chief executive.

Principality of Bulgaria (1878–1908)[edit]

Prince Reign House Claim
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Reign start Reign end Duration
Alexander I
Александър I
1857–1893
(Lived: 36 years)
29 April 1879 7 September 1886
(Abdicated)
7 years, 131 days Battenberg Elected by the First Grand National Assembly
Ferdinand I
Фердинанд I
1861–1948
(Lived: 87 years)
7 July 1887 5 October 1908 21 years, 90 days Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Elected by the Third Grand National Assembly

Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908–1946)[edit]

  Denotes Regent
Tsar Reign House Claim
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Reign start Reign end Duration
Ferdinand I
Фердинанд I
1861–1948
(Lived: 87 years)
5 October 1908 3 October 1918
(Abdicated)
9 years, 363 days Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Proclaimed himself as Tsar
Boris III
Борис III
1894–1943
(Lived: 49 years)
3 October 1918 28 August 1943
(Died)
24 years, 329 days Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Son of Ferdinand I
Simeon II
Симеон II
Born 1937
(86 years old)
28 August 1943 15 September 1946
(Monarchy abolished)
3 years, 18 days Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Son of Boris III
Kiril, Prince of Preslav
Кирил, принц Преславски
1895–1945
(Lived: 49 years)
28 August 1943 9 September 1944
(Deposed)
1 year, 12 days Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry First Regency Council
For Simeon II
Bogdan Filov
Богдан Филов
1883–1945
(Lived: 61 years)
Lt. General
Nikola Mihov
Никола Михов
1891–1945
(Lived: 53 years)
Todor Pavlov
Тодор Павлов
1890–1977
(Lived: 87 years)
9 September 1944 15 September 1946
(Monarchy abolished)
2 years, 6 days Second Regency Council
For Simeon II
Venelin Ganev
Венелин Ганев
1880–1966
(Lived: 86 years)
Tsvetko Boboshevski
Цвятко Бобошевски
1884–1952
(Lived: 68 years)

People's Republic of Bulgaria (1946–1990)[edit]

Status
  Denotes Acting Head of State
No. Portrait Name
(born–died)
Term of office Political party Election
Took office Left office Time in office
Chairman of the Provisional Presidency
1 Vasil Kolarov
Васил Коларов
1877–1950
(Lived: 72 years)
15 September 1946 9 December 1947 1 year, 85 days BCP
Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly
2 Mincho Neychev
Минчо Нейчев
1887–1956
(Lived: 69 years)
9 December 1947 27 May 1950 2 years, 169 days BCP
3 Georgi Damyanov
Георги Дамянов
1892–1958
(Lived: 66 years)
27 May 1950 27 November 1958† 8 years, 184 days BCP
Georgi Kulishev
Георги Кулишев
1885–1974
(Lived: 89 years)
27 November 1958 30 November 1958 3 days BCP
Nikolay Georgiev [bg]
Николай Георгиев
1906–1987
(Lived: 81 years)
BANU
4 Dimitar Ganev
Димитър Ганев
1898–1964
(Lived: 65 years)
30 November 1958 20 April 1964† 5 years, 142 days BCP
Georgi Kulishev
Георги Кулишев
1885–1974
(Lived: 89 years)
20 April 1964 23 April 1964 3 days BCP
Nikolay Georgiev [bg]
Николай Георгиев
1906–1987
(Lived: 81 years)
BANU
5 Georgi Traykov
Георги Трайков
1898–1975
(Lived: 76 years)
23 April 1964 7 July 1971 7 years, 75 days BANU
Chairman of the State Council
6 Todor Zhivkov
Тодор Живков
1911–1998
(Lived: 86 years)
7 July 1971 17 November 1989 18 years, 133 days BCP
7 Petar Mladenov
Петър Младенов
1936–2000
(Lived: 63 years)
17 November 1989 3 April 1990 137 days BCP
Chairman (President) of the Republic
7 Petar Mladenov
Петър Младенов
1936–2000
(Lived: 63 years)
3 April 1990 6 July 1990 94 days BSP (Apr) 1990
Stanko Todorov
Станко Тодоров
1920–1996
(Lived: 76 years)
6 July 1990 17 July 1990 11 days BSP
Nikolai Todorov
Николай Тодоров
1921–2003
(Lived: 82 years)
17 July 1990 1 August 1990 15 days BSP
8 Zhelyu Zhelev
Желю Желев
1935–2015
(Lived: 79 years)
1 August 1990 15 November 1990 106 days UDF (Jul–Aug) 1990

General Secretaries of the Bulgarian Communist Party (1948–1990)[edit]

No. Portrait Name
(born–died)
Term of office Notes
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Georgi Dimitrov
Георги Димитров
1882–1949
(Lived: 67 years)
27 December 1948 2 July 1949 187 days Also Prime Minister (1946–1949)
2 Valko Chervenkov
Вълко Червенков
1900–1980
(Lived: 80 years)
2 July 1949 4 March 1954 4 years, 245 days Also Prime Minister (1950–1956)
3 Todor Zhivkov
Тодор Живков
1911–1998
(Lived: 86 years)
4 March 1954 10 November 1989 35 years, 251 days Also Prime Minister (1962–1971), and Chairman of the Council of State (1971–1989)
4 Petar Mladenov
Петър Младенов
1936–2000
(Lived: 63 years)
10 November 1989 2 February 1990 84 days Also Chairman of the Council of State (1989–1990)

Republic of Bulgaria (1990–present)[edit]

No. Portrait Name
(born–died)
Term of office Political party Election
Took office Left office Time in office
Chairman (President) of the Republic
1 Zhelyu Zhelev
Желю Желев
1935–2015
(Lived: 79 years)
15 November 1990 22 January 1992 1 year, 68 days SDS (Jul-Aug) 1990
President of the Republic
1 Zhelyu Zhelev
Желю Желев
1935–2015
(Lived: 79 years)
22 January 1992 22 January 1997 5 years SDS 1992
2 Petar Stoyanov
Петър Стоянов
Born 1952
(71 years old)
22 January 1997 22 January 2002 5 years SDS 1996
3 Georgi Parvanov
Георги Първанов
Born 1957
(66 years old)
22 January 2002 22 January 2012 10 years BSP 2001
2006
4 Rosen Plevneliev
Росен Плевнелиев
Born 1964
(59 years old)
22 January 2012 22 January 2017 5 years GERB 2011
5 Rumen Radev
Румен Радев
Born 1963
(60 years old)
22 January 2017 Incumbent[a] 7 years, 110 days Independent 2016
2021

Timeline from 1946[edit]

Rumen RadevRosen PlevnelievGeorgi ParvanovPetar StoyanovZhelyu ZhelevNikolai TodorovStanko TodorovPetar MladenovGeorgi TraykovDimitar GanevNikolay Georgiev (politician)Georgi KulishevTodor ZhivkovGeorgi DamyanovValko ChervenkovMincho NeychevVasil KolarovGeorgi Dimitrov

Head of state titles[edit]

State Years Title
 Principality of Bulgaria 1879–1908 Prince of Bulgaria
 Kingdom of Bulgaria 1908–1946 Tsar of Bulgaria
 People's Republic of Bulgaria 1946–1947 Chairman of the Provisional
Presidency
1947–1971 Chairman of the Presidium
of the National Assembly
1971–1990 Chairman of the State
Council
1990 Chairman (President) of
the Republic
 Republic of Bulgaria 1990–1992
1992–present President of the Republic

See also[edit]

Footnotes and references[edit]

  1. ^ Radev's mandate expires on 22 January 2027.

External links[edit]