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This is a list of the heads of government of the modern Bulgarian state, from the establishment of the Principality of Bulgaria to the present day.
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Political party | Election | Cabinet | Prince (Reign) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers 1879–1908 | |||||||||
1 | Todor Burmov 1834–1906 (Lived: 72 years) | 17 July 1879 | 6 December 1879 | 142 days | Conservative Party | 1879 (Jan) | Burmov | Alexander I (1879–1886) | |
2 | Bishop Kliment Branitski 1841–1901 (Lived: 60 years) | 6 December 1879 | 7 April 1880 | 123 days | Conservative Party | — | Kliment I | ||
3 | Dragan Tsankov 1828–1911 (Lived: 82 years) | 7 April 1880 | 10 December 1880 | 247 days | Liberal Party | 1879 (Sep–Oct) 1880 | D. Tsankov I | ||
4 | Petko Karavelov 1843–1903 (Lived: 59 years) | 10 December 1880 | 9 May 1881 | 150 days | Liberal Party | 1881 (Jan) | Karavelov I | ||
5 | Johan Ehrnrooth 1833–1913 (Lived: 79 years) | 9 May 1881 | 13 July 1881 | 65 days | Imperial Russian Army | 1881 (Jun) [NA 1] | Ehrnrooth | ||
— | Vacant: authoritarian regime by Prince Alexander I 1857–1893 (Lived: 36 years) | 13 July 1881 | 5 July 1882 | 357 days | — | — | — | ||
6 | Leonid Sobolev 1844–1913 (Lived: 69 years) | 5 July 1882 | 19 September 1883 | 1 year, 76 days | Imperial Russian Army | 1882 [NA 2] | Sobolev | ||
(3) | Dragan Tsankov 1828–1911 (Lived: 82 years) 2nd time | 19 September 1883 | 11 July 1884 | 296 days | Liberal Party | 1884 | D. Tsankov II–III | ||
(4) | Petko Karavelov 1843–1903 (Lived: 59 years) 2nd time | 11 July 1884 | 21 August 1886 | 2 years, 41 days | Liberal Party | — | Karavelov II | ||
(2) | Metropolitan Kliment of Tarnovo 1841–1901 (Lived: 60 years) 2nd time | 21 August 1886 | 24 August 1886 | 3 days | Conservative Party | — | Kliment II | ||
(4) | Petko Karavelov 1843–1903 (Lived: 59 years) 3rd time | 24 August 1886 | 28 August 1886 | 4 days | Liberal Party | — | Karavelov III | ||
7 | Vasil Radoslavov 1854–1929 (Lived: 75 years) | 28 August 1886 | 10 July 1887 | 316 days | Liberal Party | 1886 | Radoslavov I | ||
Ferdinand I (1887–1908) | |||||||||
8 | Konstantin Stoilov 1853–1901 (Lived: 47 years) | 10 July 1887 | 1 September 1887 | 53 days | Conservative Party | — | Stoilov I | ||
9 | Stefan Stambolov 1854–1895 (Lived: 41 years) | 1 September 1887 | 31 May 1894 | 6 years, 272 days | People's Liberal Party | 1887 1890 1893 (Apr) 1893 (Jul) | Stambolov | ||
(8) | Konstantin Stoilov 1853–1901 (Lived: 47 years) 2nd time | 31 May 1894 | 30 January 1899 | 4 years, 244 days | People's Party | 1894 1896 | Stoilov II–III | ||
10 | Dimitar Grekov 1847–1901 (Lived: 53 years) | 30 January 1899 | 13 October 1899 | 256 days | People's Liberal Party | 1899 | Grekov | ||
11 | Todor Ivanchov 1858–1905 (Lived: 46 years) | 13 October 1899 | 25 January 1901 | 1 year, 104 days | Liberal Party (Radoslavists) | — | Ivanchov I–II | ||
12 | Racho Petrov 1861–1942 (Lived: 80 years) | 25 January 1901 | 5 March 1901 | 39 days | Independent | 1901 | Petrov I | ||
(4) | Petko Karavelov 1843–1903 (Lived: 59 years) 4th time | 5 March 1901 | 4 January 1902 | 305 days | Democratic Party | — | Karavelov IV | ||
13 | Stoyan Danev 1858–1949 (Lived: 91 years) | 4 January 1902 | 19 May 1903 | 1 year, 135 days | Progressive Liberal Party | 1902 | Danev I–III | ||
(12) | Racho Petrov 1861–1942 (Lived: 80 years) 2nd time | 19 May 1903 | 5 November 1906 | 3 years, 170 days | Independent | 1903 | Petrov II | ||
14 | Dimitar Petkov 1858–1907 (Lived: 48 years) | 5 November 1906 | 11 March 1907† | 126 days | People's Liberal Party | — | Petkov | ||
15 | Dimitar Stanchov 1863–1940 (Lived: 76 years) Acting | 12 March 1907 | 16 March 1907 | 4 days | Independent | — | Stanchov | ||
16 | Petar Gudev 1863–1932 (Lived: 68 years) | 16 March 1907 | 29 January 1908 | 319 days | People's Liberal Party | — | Gudev | ||
17 | Aleksandar Malinov 1867–1938 (Lived: 70 years) | 29 January 1908 | 5 October 1908 | 250 days | Democratic Party | 1908 | Malinov I |
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Party | Government Composition | Election | Tsar (Reign) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||||
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers 1908–1946 | ||||||||||
17 | Aleksandar Malinov (1867–1938) | 5 October 1908 | 29 March 1911 | 2 years, 175 days | Democratic Party | Malinov I–II DP | — | Ferdinand I (1908–1918) | ||
18 | Ivan Evstratiev Geshov (1849–1924) | 29 March 1911 | 14 June 1913 | 2 years, 77 days | People's Party | Geshov NP–PLP | 1911 (Jun) 1911 (Sep) | |||
(13) | Stoyan Danev (1858–1949) | 14 June 1913 | 17 July 1913 | 33 days | Progressive Liberal Party | Danev IV PLP–NP | — | |||
(7) | Vasil Radoslavov (1854–1929) | 17 July 1913 | 21 June 1918 | 4 years, 339 days | Liberal Party (Radoslavists) | Radoslavov II–III LP (r.)–NLP–MLP | 1913 1914 | |||
(17) | Aleksandar Malinov (1867–1938) | 21 June 1918 | 28 November 1918 | 160 days | Democratic Party | Malinov III–IV DP– RP until October 1918 NP–BZNS–BRSDP–BZNS from October 1918 | — | |||
Boris III (1918–1943) | ||||||||||
19 | Teodor Teodorov (1869–1924) | 28 November 1918 | 6 October 1919 | 312 days | People's Party | Teodorov I–II NP–BZNS–DP–RP–BRSDP–PLP | — | |||
20 | Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923) | 6 October 1919 | 9 June 1923 (Deposed) | 3 years, 246 days | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union | Stamboliyski I–II BZNS– NP–PLP until February 1923 | 1919 1920 1923 (Apr) | |||
21 | Aleksandar Tsankov (1879–1959) | 9 June 1923 | 4 January 1926 | 2 years, 209 days | Democratic Alliance | A. Tsankov I–II DA–NLP–BRSDP–DP–RP–ONPP | 1923 (Nov) | |||
22 | Andrey Lyapchev (1866–1933) | 4 January 1926 | 29 June 1931 | 5 years, 176 days | Democratic Alliance | Lyapchev I–III DA | 1927 | |||
(17) | Aleksandar Malinov (1867–1938) | 29 June 1931 | 12 October 1931 | 105 days | Democratic Party | Malinov V DP–BZNS–NLP–RP | 1931 | |||
23 | Nikola Mushanov (1872–1951) | 12 October 1931 | 19 May 1934 (Deposed) | 2 years, 219 days | Democratic Party | Mushanov I–III DP–BZNS–NLP–RP | — | |||
24 | Kimon Georgiev (1882–1969) | 19 May 1934 | 22 January 1935 | 248 days | Independent | Georgiev I Nonpartisan | — | |||
25 | Pencho Zlatev (1881–1948) | 22 January 1935 | 21 April 1935 | 89 days | Bulgarian Army | Zlatev Nonpartisan | — | |||
26 | Andrey Toshev (1867–1944) | 21 April 1935 | 23 November 1935 | 216 days | Independent | Toshev Nonpartisan | — | |||
27 | Georgi Kyoseivanov (1884–1960) | 23 November 1935 | 16 February 1940 | 4 years, 85 days | Independent | Kyoseivanov I–IV Nonpartisan | 1938 1939 | |||
28 | Bogdan Filov (1883–1945) | 16 February 1940 | 9 September 1943 | 3 years, 205 days | Independent | Filov I–II Nonpartisan | — | |||
Simeon II (1943–1946) | ||||||||||
— | Petar Gabrovski (1898–1945) Acting | 9 September 1943 | 14 September 1943 | 5 days | Independent | Filov II Nonpartisan | — | |||
29 | Dobri Bozhilov (1884–1945) | 14 September 1943 | 1 June 1944 | 261 days | Independent | Bozhilov Nonpartisan | — | |||
30 | Ivan Ivanov Bagryanov (1891–1945) | 1 June 1944 | 2 September 1944 | 93 days | Independent | Bagryanov Nonpartisan | — | |||
31 [1] | Konstantin Muraviev (1893–1965) | 2 September 1944 | 9 September 1944 (Deposed) | 7 days | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union | Muraviev BZNS–DP | — | |||
(24) | Kimon Georgiev (1882–1969) | 9 September 1944 | 15 September 1946 | 2 years, 6 days | Zveno | Georgiev II–III Zveno–BKP–BZNS–RP–BRSDP | 1945 |
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Party | Government Composition | Election | Head of State (Tenure) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||||
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers 1946–1990 | ||||||||||
(24) | Kimon Georgiev (1882–1969) | 15 September 1946 | 23 November 1946 | 69 days | Zveno | Georgiev III Zveno–BKP–BZNS–RP–BRSDP | — | Vasil Kolarov (1946–1947) | ||
32 | Georgi Dimitrov (1882–1949) | 23 November 1946 | 2 July 1949† | 2 years, 221 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Dimitrov I–II BKP–Zveno–BZNS–BRSDP | 1946 | |||
Mincho Neychev (1947–1950) | ||||||||||
33 | Vasil Kolarov (1877–1950) | 2 July 1949 Acting until 20 July 1949 | 23 January 1950† | 205 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Kolarov I–II BKP–BZNS | 1949 | |||
34 | Valko Chervenkov (1900–1980) | 23 January 1950 Acting until 3 February 1950 | 17 April 1956 | 6 years, 85 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Chervenkov BKP–BZNS | 1953 | |||
Georgi Damyanov (1950–1958) | ||||||||||
35 | Anton Yugov (1904–1991) | 17 April 1956 | 19 November 1962 | 6 years, 216 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Yugov I–III BKP–BZNS | 1957 | |||
Dimitar Ganev (1958–1964) | ||||||||||
36 | Todor Zhivkov (1911–1998) | 19 November 1962 | 7 July 1971 | 8 years, 230 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Zhivkov I–II BKP–BZNS | 1962 1966 | |||
Georgi Traykov (1964–1971) | ||||||||||
37 | Stanko Todorov (1920–1996) | 7 July 1971 | 16 June 1981 | 9 years, 344 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Todorov I–II BKP–BZNS | 1971 1976 | Todor Zhivkov (1971–1989) | ||
38 | Grisha Filipov (1919–1994) | 16 June 1981 | 21 March 1986 | 4 years, 278 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Filipov BKP–BZNS | 1981 | |||
39 | Georgi Atanasov (1933–2022) | 21 March 1986 | 3 February 1990 | 3 years, 319 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Atanasov BKP–BZNS | 1986 | |||
Petar Mladenov (1989–1990) | ||||||||||
40 | Andrey Lukanov (1938–1996) | 3 February 1990 | 15 November 1990 | 285 days | Bulgarian Communist Party | Lukanov I–II | ||||
Bulgarian Socialist Party | Zhelyu Zhelev (1990) |
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Party | Government Composition | Election | President (Tenure) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||||
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers 1990–1991 | ||||||||||
(40) | Andrey Lukanov (1938–1996) | 15 November 1990 | 7 December 1990 | 22 days | Bulgarian Socialist Party | Lukanov II BSP | N/A | Zhelyu Zhelev (1990–1997) | ||
41 | Dimitar Popov (1927–2015) | 7 December 1990 | 8 November 1991 | 336 days | Independent | Popov BSP–SDS–BZNS | 1990 | |||
Prime Ministers 1991–onwards | ||||||||||
42 | Philip Dimitrov (born 1955) | 8 November 1991 | 30 December 1992 | 1 year, 52 days | Union of Democratic Forces | Dimitrov SDS–RDP–DP | 1991 | |||
43 | Lyuben Berov (1925–2006) | 30 December 1992 | 17 October 1994 | 1 year, 291 days | Independent supported by Movement for Rights and Freedoms | Berov | ||||
44 | Reneta Indzhova (born 1953) | 17 October 1994 | 25 January 1995 | 100 days | Independent | Indzhova [a] | ||||
45 | Zhan Videnov (born 1959) | 25 January 1995 | 13 February 1997 | 2 years, 19 days | Bulgarian Socialist Party | Videnov BSP–BZNS-AS–Ecoglasnost | 1994 | |||
Petar Stoyanov (1997–2002) | ||||||||||
46 | Stefan Sofiyanski (born 1951) | 13 February 1997 | 21 May 1997 | 97 days | Union of Democratic Forces | Sofiyanski [b] SDS | ||||
47 | Ivan Kostov (born 1949) | 21 May 1997 | 24 July 2001 | 4 years, 64 days | Union of Democratic Forces | Kostov SDS–DP–BZNS | 1997 | |||
48 | Simeon Sakskoburggotski (born 1937) | 24 July 2001 | 17 August 2005 | 4 years, 24 days | National Movement Simeon II | Sakskoburggotski NDSV–DPS | 2001 | |||
Georgi Parvanov (2002–2012) | ||||||||||
49 | Sergey Stanishev (born 1966) | 17 August 2005 | 27 July 2009 | 3 years, 344 days | Bulgarian Socialist Party | Stanishev BSP–NDSV–DPS | 2005 | |||
50 | Boyko Borisov (born 1959) | 27 July 2009 | 13 March 2013 | 3 years, 229 days | GERB | Borisov I GERB | 2009 | |||
Rosen Plevneliev (2012–2017) | ||||||||||
51 | Marin Raykov (born 1960) | 13 March 2013 | 29 May 2013 | 77 days | Independent | Raykov [c] | ||||
52 | Plamen Oresharski (born 1960) | 29 May 2013 | 6 August 2014 | 1 year, 69 days | Independent supported by Bulgarian Socialist Party | Oresharski BSP–DPS | 2013 | |||
53 | Georgi Bliznashki (born 1956) | 6 August 2014 | 7 November 2014 | 93 days | Independent | Bliznashki [d] | ||||
(50) | Boyko Borisov (born 1959) | 7 November 2014 | 27 January 2017 | 2 years, 81 days | GERB | Borisov II GERB–RB–ABV | 2014 | |||
Rumen Radev (2017–present) | ||||||||||
54 | Ognyan Gerdzhikov (born 1946) | 27 January 2017 | 4 May 2017 | 97 days | Independent | Gerdzhikov [e] | ||||
(50) | Boyko Borisov (born 1959) | 4 May 2017 | 12 May 2021 | 4 years, 8 days | GERB | Borisov III GERB–OP | 2017 | |||
55 | Stefan Yanev (born 1960) | 12 May 2021 | 16 September 2021 | 215 days | Independent | Yanev I [f] | 2021 (Apr) | |||
16 September 2021 | 13 December 2021 | Yanev II [g] | 2021 (Jul) | |||||||
56 | Kiril Petkov (born 1980) | 13 December 2021 | 1 August 2022 | 231 days | We Continue the Change | Petkov PP–BSP–ITN–DB | 2021 (Nov) | |||
57 | Galab Donev (born 1967) | 2 August 2022 | 2 February 2023 | 308 days | Independent | Donev I [h] | ||||
2 February 2023 | 6 June 2023 | Donev II [i] | 2022 | |||||||
58 | Nikolay Denkov (born 1962) | 6 June 2023 | 9 April 2024 | 308 days | We Continue the Change | Denkov PP–DB–GERB | 2023 | |||
59 | Dimitar Glavchev (born 1963) Caretaker [2] [3] [4] | 9 April 2024 | 27 August 2024 | 282 days | Independent | Glavchev I [j] | ||||
27 August 2024 | 16 January 2025 | Glavchev II [k] | 2024 (Jun) | |||||||
60 | Rosen Zhelyazkov (born 1968) | 16 January 2025 | Incumbent | 11 days | GERB | Zhelyazkov GERB–BSP–ITN | 2024 (Oct) |
The politics of Bulgaria take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the prime minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
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