List of heads of state of Bulgaria explained

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)

width=35% colspan=3Princewidth=40% colspan=3ReignHousewidth=25% rowspan=2Claim
Portraitwidth=30%Name
Reign startReign endDuration
Alexander I
Bulgarian: Александър I
1857–1893
29 April 18797 September 1886
BattenbergElected by the First Grand National Assembly
Ferdinand I
Bulgarian: Фердинанд I
1861–1948
7 July 18875 October 1908Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-KoháryElected by the Third Grand National Assembly

Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908–1946)

width=35% colspan=3Tsarwidth=40% colspan=3ReignHousewidth=25% rowspan=2Claim
Portraitwidth=30%Name
Reign startReign endDuration
Ferdinand I
Bulgarian: Фердинанд I
1861–1948
5 October 19083 October 1918
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-KoháryProclaimed himself as Tsar
Boris III
Bulgarian: Борис III
1894–1943
3 October 191828 August 1943
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-KohárySon of Ferdinand I
Simeon II
Bulgarian: Симеон II
Born 1937
28 August 194315 September 1946
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-KohárySon of Boris III
Kiril, Prince of Preslav
Bulgarian: Кирил, принц Преславски
1895–1945
28 August 19439 September 1944
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-KoháryFirst Regency Council
For Simeon II
Bogdan Filov
Bulgarian: Богдан Филов
1883–1945

Nikola Mihov
Bulgarian: Никола Михов
1891–1945
Todor Pavlov
Bulgarian: Тодор Павлов
1890–1977
9 September 194415 September 1946
Second Regency Council
For Simeon II
Venelin Ganev
Bulgarian: Венелин Ганев
1880–1966
Tsvetko Boboshevski
Bulgarian: Цвятко Бобошевски
1884–1952

People's Republic of Bulgaria (1946–1990)

Status
width=35% colspan=3Head of Statewidth=40% colspan=3Term of officewidth=25% rowspan=2Durationwidth=25% rowspan=2Political party
Portraitwidth=30%Name
ElectionTook officeLeft office
Chairman of the Provisional Presidency
Vasil Kolarov
Bulgarian: Васил Коларов
1877–1950
15 September 19469 December 1947BKP
Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly
Mincho Neychev
Bulgarian: Минчо Нейчев
1887–1956
9 December 194727 May 1950BKP
Georgi Damyanov
Bulgarian: Георги Дамянов
1892–1958
27 May 195027 November 1958†BKP
Georgi Kulishev
Bulgarian: Георги Кулишев
1885–1974
27 November 195830 November 1958BKP

Bulgarian: Николай Георгиев
1906–1987
BZNS
Dimitar Ganev
Bulgarian: Димитър Ганев
1898–1964
30 November 1958 20 April 1964†BKP
Georgi Kulishev
Bulgarian: Георги Кулишев
1885–1974
20 April 196423 April 1964BKP

Bulgarian: Николай Георгиев
1906–1987
BZNS
Georgi Traykov
Bulgarian: Георги Трайков
1898–1975
23 April 19647 July 1971 BZNS
Chairman of the State Council
Todor Zhivkov
Bulgarian: Тодор Живков
1911–1998
7 July 197117 November 1989 BKP
Petar Mladenov
Bulgarian: Петър Младенов
1936–2000
17 November 19893 April 1990BKP
Chairman (President) of the Republic
Petar Mladenov
Bulgarian: Петър Младенов
1936–2000
(Apr) 19903 April 19906 July 1990BSP
Stanko Todorov
Bulgarian: Станко Тодоров
1920–1996
6 July 199017 July 1990BSP
Nikolai Todorov
Bulgarian: Николай Тодоров
1921–2003
17 July 19901 August 1990BSP
Zhelyu Zhelev
Bulgarian: Желю Желев
1935–2015
(Jul–Aug) 19901 August 199015 November 1990SDS

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

width=35% colspan=3General Secretarywidth=40% colspan=3Term of officewidth=25% rowspan=2Notes
Portraitwidth=30%Name
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Georgi Dimitrov
Bulgarian: Георги Димитров
1882–1949
27 December 19482 July 1949Also Prime Minister (1946–1949)
Valko Chervenkov
Bulgarian: Вълко Червенков
1900–1980
2 July 19494 March 1954Also Prime Minister (1950–1956)
Todor Zhivkov
Bulgarian: Тодор Живков
1911–1998
4 March 195410 November 1989Also Prime Minister (1962–1971), and Chairman of the Council of State (1971–1989)
Petar Mladenov
Bulgarian: Петър Младенов
1936–2000
10 November 19892 February 1990Also Chairman of the Council of State (1989–1990)

Republic of Bulgaria (1990–present)

width=35% colspan=3Presidentwidth=40% colspan=3Term of officewidth=25% rowspan=2Durationwidth=25% rowspan=2Political party
Portraitwidth=30%Name
ElectionTook officeLeft office
Chairman (President) of the Republic
Zhelyu Zhelev
Bulgarian: Желю Желев
1935–2015
(Jul-Aug) 199015 November 199022 January 1992SDS
President of the Republic
Zhelyu Zhelev
Bulgarian: Желю Желев
1935–2015
199222 January 199222 January 1997 yearsSDS
Petar Stoyanov
Bulgarian: Петър Стоянов
Born 1952
199622 January 199722 January 2002 yearsSDS
Georgi Parvanov
Bulgarian: Георги Първанов
Born 1957
2001
2006
22 January 200222 January 2012 yearsBSP
Rosen Plevneliev
Bulgarian: Росен Плевнелиев
Born 1964
201122 January 201222 January 2017 yearsGERB
Rumen Radev
Bulgarian: Румен Радев
Born 1963
2016
2021
22 January 2017IncumbentIndependent

Head of state titles

StateYearsTitle
1879–1908Prince of Bulgaria
1908–1946Tsar of Bulgaria
1946–1947Chairman of the Provisional
Presidency
1947–1971Chairman of the Presidium
of the National Assembly
1971–1990Chairman of the State
Council
1990Chairman (President) of
the Republic
1990–1992
1992–presentPresident of the Republic

See also

External links