President of Bulgaria
| President of the Republic of Bulgaria | |
|---|---|
| Президент на България | |
since 23 January 2026 | |
| Style | Her Excellency (diplomatic) Ms. President (informal, more widely used) |
| Residence | Sofia (office), Boyana (residential) |
| Appointer | Direct elections |
| Term length | 5 years renewable once |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Bulgaria (1991) |
| Precursor | State Council (1971-1990) Chairman (President) (1990-1992) |
| Inaugural holder | Zhelyu Zhelev Modern presidency; Petar Mladenov as inaugural Chairman (President) |
| Formation | 3 April 1990 (chairman (president) 22 January 1992 (modern presidency) |
| Deputy | Vice President |
| Salary | 7 199,38 € per month |
| Website | www |
The president of the Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Президент на Република България, romanised: Prezident na Republika Bălgariya) is the head of state of Bulgaria and the commander-in-chief of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The official residence of the president is the Boyana Residence in Sofia.
The president's primary function is to serve as the arbitrator of disputes between Bulgaria's different institutions. They are not the head of government or part of the nation's executive power. However, when the National Assembly fails to elect a prime minister, the president appoints an interim government. As of 2026 this has happened on 12 occasions, by Zhelyu Zhelev in 1994-95; Petar Stoyanov in 1997; Rosen Plevneliev in 2013 and 2014; Rumen Radev in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2024; Iliana Iotova in 2026.
The president is elected for a five-year term and is restricted to two terms, even if they are non-consecutive. After an individual has served two terms as president, that individual will forever be barred from being elected to the presidency again under Bulgaria's Constitution. The president addresses the nation on national television annually on New Year's Eve.