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)

PrinceReignHouseClaim PortraitName Reign start Reign end Duration Alexander I1857–1893 29 April 1879 7 September 1886 Battenberg Elected by the First Grand National Assembly Ferdinand I1861–1948 7 July 1887 5 October 1908 Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Elected by the Third Grand National Assembly

Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908–1946)

TsarReignHouseClaim PortraitName Reign start Reign end Duration Ferdinand I1861–1948 5 October 1908 3 October 1918 Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Proclaimed himself as Tsar Boris III1894–1943 3 October 1918 28 August 1943 Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Son of Ferdinand I Simeon IIBorn 1937 28 August 1943 15 September 1946 Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry Son of Boris III Kiril, Prince of Preslav1895–194528 August 19439 September 1944 Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-KoháryFirst Regency CouncilFor Simeon II Bogdan Filov1883–1945— Nikola Mihov1891–1945 Todor Pavlov1890–19779 September 194415 September 1946—Second Regency CouncilFor Simeon II Venelin Ganev1880–1966 Tsvetko Boboshevski1884–1952

People's Republic of Bulgaria (1946–1990)

Status

Head of StateTerm of officeDurationPolitical party PortraitName Election Took office Left officeChairman of the Provisional Presidency Vasil Kolarov1877–1950 — 15 September 1946 9 December 1947 BKPChairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly Mincho Neychev1887–1956 — 9 December 1947 27 May 1950 BKP Georgi Damyanov1892–1958 — 27 May 1950 27 November 1958† BKP Georgi Kulishev1885–1974 —27 November 195830 November 1958 BKP 1906–1987 — BZNS Dimitar Ganev1898–1964 — 30 November 1958 20 April 1964† BKP Georgi Kulishev1885–1974 —20 April 196423 April 1964 BKP 1906–1987 — BZNS Georgi Traykov1898–1975 — 23 April 1964 7 July 1971 BZNSChairman of the State Council Todor Zhivkov1911–1998 — 7 July 1971 17 November 1989 BKP Petar Mladenov1936–2000 — 17 November 1989 3 April 1990 BKPChairman (President) of the Republic Petar Mladenov1936–2000 (Apr) 1990 3 April 1990 6 July 1990 BSP Stanko Todorov1920–1996 — 6 July 1990 17 July 1990 BSP Nikolai Todorov1921–2003 — 17 July 1990 1 August 1990 Independent Zhelyu Zhelev1935–2015 (Jul–Aug) 1990 1 August 1990 15 November 1990 SDS

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

General SecretaryTerm of officeNotes PortraitName Took office Left office Duration Georgi Dimitrov1882–1949 27 December 1948 2 July 1949 Also Prime Minister (1946–1949) Valko Chervenkov1900–1980 2 July 1949 4 March 1954 Also Prime Minister (1950–1956) Todor Zhivkov1911–1998 4 March 1954 10 November 1989 Also Prime Minister (1962–1971), and Chairman of the Council of State (1971–1989) Petar Mladenov1936–2000 10 November 1989 2 February 1990 Also Chairman of the Council of State (1989–1990)

Republic of Bulgaria (1990–present)

PresidentTerm of officeDurationPolitical party PortraitName Election Took office Left officeChairman (President) of the Republic Zhelyu Zhelev1935–2015 (Jul-Aug) 1990 15 November 1990 22 January 1992 SDSPresident of the Republic Zhelyu Zhelev1935–2015 1992 22 January 1992 22 January 1997 years SDS Petar StoyanovBorn 1952 1996 22 January 1997 22 January 2002 years SDS Georgi ParvanovBorn 1957 20012006 22 January 2002 22 January 2012 years BSP Rosen PlevnelievBorn 1964 2011 22 January 2012 22 January 2017 years GERB Rumen RadevBorn 1963 20162021 22 January 2017 23 January 2026 Independent Iliana IotovaBorn 1964 — 23 January 2026 Incumbent BSP

Timeline

Head of state titles State Years Title 1879–1908 Prince of Bulgaria 1908–1946 Tsar 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 1990Chairman (President) of the Republic 1990–1992 1992–present President of the Republic

See also Politics of Bulgaria List of Bulgarian monarchs List of Bulgarian regents List of heads of government of Bulgaria List of first deputy chairmen of the State Council of Bulgaria Vice President of Bulgaria

Footnotes and references

External links List of Bulgarian heads of state and government The President of the Republic of Bulgaria King Simeon