List of heads of government of Bulgaria

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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.

List of officeholders

Principality of Bulgaria (1878–1908)

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

Tsardom of Bulgaria (1908–1946)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party Election Cabinet Tsar
(Reign)
Took office Left office Time in office
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
1908–1946
17 Aleksandar Malinov
1867–1938
(Lived: 70 years) 		5 October 1908 29 March 1911 2 years, 175 days Democratic Party — Malinov I–II
Ferdinand I
(1908–1918)
18 Ivan Evstratiev Geshov
1849–1924
(Lived: 75 years) 		29 March 1911 14 June 1913 2 years, 77 days People's Party 1911
(Jun)
1911
(Sep) 		Geshov
(13) Stoyan Danev
1858–1949
(Lived: 91 years)
2nd time 		14 June 1913 17 July 1913 33 days Progressive Liberal Party — Danev IV
(7) Vasil Radoslavov
1854–1929
(Lived: 75 years)
2nd time 		17 July 1913 21 June 1918 4 years, 339 days Liberal Party (Radoslavists) 1913
1914 		Radoslavov II–III
(17) Aleksandar Malinov
1867–1938
(Lived: 70 years)
2nd time 		21 June 1918 28 November 1918 160 days Democratic Party — Malinov III–IV
Boris III
(1918–1943)
19 Teodor Teodorov
1869–1924
(Lived: 55 years) 		28 November 1918 6 October 1919 312 days People's Party — Teodorov I–II
20 Aleksandar Stamboliyski
1879–1923
(Lived: 44 years) 		6 October 1919 9 June 1923
(Deposed) 		3 years, 246 days Bulgarian Agrarian National Union 1919
1920
1923
(Apr) 		Stamboliyski I–II
21 Aleksandar Tsankov
1879–1959
(Lived: 80 years) 		9 June 1923 4 January 1926 2 years, 209 days Democratic Alliance 1923
(Nov) 		A. Tsankov I–II
22 Andrey Lyapchev
1866–1933
(Lived: 66 years) 		4 January 1926 29 June 1931 5 years, 176 days Democratic Alliance 1927 Lyapchev I–III
(17) Aleksandar Malinov
1867–1938
(Lived: 70 years)
3rd time 		29 June 1931 12 October 1931 105 days Democratic Party 1931 Malinov V
23 Nikola Mushanov
1872–1951
(Lived: 79 years) 		12 October 1931 19 May 1934
(Deposed) 		2 years, 219 days Democratic Party — Mushanov I–III
24 Kimon Georgiev
1882–1969
(Lived: 87 years) 		19 May 1934 22 January 1935 248 days Independent — Georgiev I
25 Pencho Zlatev
1881–1948
(Lived: 66 years) 		22 January 1935 21 April 1935 89 days Bulgarian Army — Zlatev
26 Andrey Toshev
1867–1944
(Lived: 76 years) 		21 April 1935 23 November 1935 216 days Independent — Toshev
27 Georgi Kyoseivanov
1884–1960
(Lived: 76 years) 		23 November 1935 16 February 1940 4 years, 85 days Independent 1938
1939 		Kyoseivanov I–IV
28 Bogdan Filov
1883–1945
(Lived: 61 years) 		16 February 1940 9 September 1943 3 years, 205 days Independent — Filov I–II
Simeon II
(1943–1946)
— Petar Gabrovski
1898–1945
(Lived: 46 years)
Acting 		9 September 1943 14 September 1943 5 days Independent — Filov II
29 Dobri Bozhilov
1884–1945
(Lived: 60 years) 		14 September 1943 1 June 1944 261 days Independent — Bozhilov
30 Ivan Ivanov Bagryanov
1891–1945
(Lived: 53 years) 		1 June 1944 2 September 1944 93 days Independent — Bagryanov
31[1] Konstantin Muraviev
1893–1965
(Lived: 71 years) 		2 September 1944 9 September 1944
(Deposed) 		7 days Bulgarian Agrarian National Union — Muraviev
(24) Kimon Georgiev
1882–1969
(Lived: 87 years)
2nd time 		9 September 1944 15 September 1946 2 years, 6 days Zveno 1945 Georgiev II–III

People's Republic of Bulgaria (1946–1990)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party Election Cabinet Head of state
(Term)
Took office Left office Time in office
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
1946–1990
(24) Kimon Georgiev
1882–1969
(Lived: 87 years)
2nd time 		15 September 1946 23 November 1946 69 days Zveno — Georgiev III
Vasil Kolarov
(1946–1947)
32 Georgi Dimitrov
1882–1949
(Lived: 67 years) 		23 November 1946 2 July 1949† 2 years, 221 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1946 Dimitrov I–II
Mincho Neychev
(1947–1950)
33 Vasil Kolarov
1877–1950
(Lived: 72 years) 		2 July 1949
Acting until
20 July 1949 		23 January 1950† 205 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1949 Kolarov I–II
34 Valko Chervenkov
1900–1980
(Lived: 80 years) 		23 January 1950
Acting until
3 February 1950 		17 April 1956 6 years, 85 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1953 Chervenkov
Georgi Damyanov
(1950–1958)
35 Anton Yugov
1904–1991
(Lived: 86 years) 		17 April 1956 19 November 1962 6 years, 216 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1957 Yugov I–III
Dimitar Ganev
(1958–1964)
36 Todor Zhivkov
1911–1998
(Lived: 86 years) 		19 November 1962 7 July 1971 8 years, 230 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1962
1966 		Zhivkov I–II
Georgi Traykov
(1964–1971)
37 Stanko Todorov
1920–1996
(Lived: 76 years) 		7 July 1971 16 June 1981 9 years, 344 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1971
1976 		Todorov I–II
Todor Zhivkov
(1971–1989)
38 Grisha Filipov
1919–1994
(Lived: 75 years) 		16 June 1981 21 March 1986 4 years, 278 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1981 Filipov
39 Georgi Atanasov
1933–2022
(Lived: 88 years) 		21 March 1986 3 February 1990 3 years, 319 days Bulgarian Communist Party 1986 Atanasov
Petar Mladenov
(1989–1990)
40 Andrey Lukanov
1938–1996
(Lived: 58 years) 		3 February 1990 15 November 1990 285 days Bulgarian Communist Party — Lukanov I–II
(40) Bulgarian Socialist Party
Zhelyu Zhelev
(1990)

Republic of Bulgaria (1990–present)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party Election Cabinet President
(Term)
Took office Left office Time in office
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
1990–1991
(40) Andrey Lukanov
1938–1996
(Lived: 58 years) 		15 November 1990 7 December 1990 22 days Bulgarian Socialist Party — Lukanov II
Zhelyu Zhelev
(1990–1997)
41 Dimitar Popov
1927–2015
(Lived: 88 years) 		7 December 1990 8 November 1991 336 days Independent 1990 Popov
Prime Ministers
1991–onwards
42 Philip Dimitrov
Born 1955
(69 years old) 		8 November 1991 30 December 1992 1 year, 52 days Union of Democratic Forces 1991 Dimitrov
43 Lyuben Berov
1925–2006
(Lived: 81 years) 		30 December 1992 17 October 1994 1 year, 291 days Independent
supported by
Movement for Rights and Freedoms 		— Berov
44 Reneta Indzhova
Born 1953
(71 years old) 		17 October 1994 25 January 1995 100 days Independent — Indzhova[a]
45 Zhan Videnov
Born 1959
(65 years old) 		25 January 1995 13 February 1997 2 years, 19 days Bulgarian Socialist Party 1994 Videnov
Petar Stoyanov
(1997–2002)
46 Stefan Sofiyanski
Born 1951
(73 years old) 		13 February 1997 21 May 1997 97 days Union of Democratic Forces — Sofiyanski[b]
47 Ivan Kostov
Born 1949
(74 years old) 		21 May 1997 24 July 2001 4 years, 64 days Union of Democratic Forces 1997 Kostov
48 Simeon Sakskoburggotski
Born 1937
(87 years old) 		24 July 2001 17 August 2005 4 years, 24 days National Movement Simeon II 2001 Sakskoburggotski
Georgi Parvanov
(2002–2012)
49 Sergey Stanishev
Born 1966
(58 years old) 		17 August 2005 27 July 2009 3 years, 344 days Bulgarian Socialist Party 2005 Stanishev
50 Boyko Borisov
Born 1959
(65 years old) 		27 July 2009 13 March 2013 3 years, 229 days GERB 2009 Borisov I
Rosen Plevneliev
(2012–2017)
51 Marin Raykov
Born 1960
(64 years old) 		13 March 2013 29 May 2013 77 days Independent — Raykov[c]
52 Plamen Oresharski
Born 1960
(64 years old) 		29 May 2013 6 August 2014 1 year, 69 days Independent
supported by
Bulgarian Socialist Party 		2013 Oresharski
53 Georgi Bliznashki
Born 1956
(68 years old) 		6 August 2014 7 November 2014 93 days Independent — Bliznashki[d]
(50) Boyko Borisov
Born 1959
(65 years old)
2nd time 		7 November 2014 27 January 2017 2 years, 81 days GERB 2014 Borisov II
Rumen Radev
(2017–present)
54 Ognyan Gerdzhikov
Born 1946
(78 years old) 		27 January 2017 4 May 2017 97 days Independent — Gerdzhikov[e]
(50) Boyko Borisov
Born 1959
(65 years old)
3rd time 		4 May 2017 12 May 2021 4 years, 8 days GERB 2017 Borisov III
55 Stefan Yanev
Born 1960
(64 years old) 		12 May 2021 13 December 2021 215 days Independent 2021
(Apr)
2021
(Jul) 		Yanev I[f]-II[g]
56 Kiril Petkov
Born 1980
(44 years old) 		13 December 2021 1 August 2022 231 days We Continue the Change 2021
(Nov) 		Petkov
57 Galab Donev
Born 1967
(57 years old) 		2 August 2022 6 June 2023 308 days Independent —
2022 		Donev I[h]-II[i]
58 Nikolay Denkov
Born 1962
(62 years old) 		6 June 2023 9 April 2024 308 days We Continue the Change 2023 Denkov
59 Dimitar Glavchev
Born 1963
(61 years old)
Caretaker[2][3][4] 		9 April 2024 Incumbent 254 days Independent —
2024
(Jun) 		Glavchev I[j]-II[k]
  1. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Zhelyu Zhelev, following the resignation of Lyuben Berov.
  2. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Petar Stoyanov, following the resignation of Zhan Videnov.
  3. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rosen Plevneliev, following the resignation of Boyko Borisov.
  4. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rosen Plevneliev, following the resignation of Plamen Oresharski.
  5. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rumen Radev, following the resignation of Boyko Borisov.
  6. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rumen Radev, when no party was able to form a government in the 45th National Assembly.
  7. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rumen Radev, when no party was able to form a government in the 46th National Assembly.
  8. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rumen Radev, following the resignation of Kiril Petkov.
  9. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rumen Radev, when no party was able to form a government in the 48th National Assembly.
  10. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rumen Radev, following the resignation of Nikolay Denkov.
  11. ^ Interim government, appointed by president Rumen Radev, when no party was able to form a government in the 50th National Assembly.

Timeline

Dimitar GlavchevNikolai DenkovGalab DonevKiril PetkovStefan Yanev (general)Ognyan GerdzhikovGeorgi BliznashkiPlamen OresharskiMarin RaykovBoyko BorisovSergei StanishevSimeon SakskoburggotskiIvan KostovStefan SofiyanskiZhan VidenovReneta IndzhovaLyuben BerovPhilip DimitrovDimitar Iliev PopovAndrey LukanovGeorgi Atanasov (politician)Grisha FilipovStanko TodorovTodor ZhivkovAnton YugovValko ChervenkovVasil KolarovGeorgi DimitrovKonstantin MuravievIvan BagrianovDobri BozhilovPetar GabrovskiBogdan FilovGeorgi KyoseivanovAndrey ToshevPencho ZlatevKimon GeorgievNikola MushanovAndrey LyapchevAndrey LyapchevAleksandar TsankovAleksandar StamboliyskiTeodor TeodorovIvan Evstratiev GeshovAleksandar MalinovPetar GudevDimitar StanchovDimitar PetkovStoyan DanevRacho PetrovTodor IvanchovDimitar GrekovStefan StambolovKonstantin StoilovVasil RadoslavovLeonid SobolevJohan EhrnroothPetko KaravelovDragan TsankovKliment of TarnovoTodor Burmov

Footnotes

  1. ^ Johann Casimir Ehrnrooth was appointed by Prince Alexander I to preside over the election. Ehrnrooth was not elected by the Grand National Assembly.
  2. ^ Leonid Sobolev was appointed by Prince Alexander I during his authoritarian regime. Sobolev was not elected by the National Assembly.

References

  1. ^ Ilcho Dimitrov; Professor Bogdan Filov and his diary; 1990; "During the 65 years of the existence of the Bulgarian [monarchy], the post of Prime minister was held by 29 persons (excluding the two Russian generals Ehrnrooth and Sobolev)." (in Bulgarian)
  2. ^ https://www.parliament.bg/bg/const [bare URL]
  3. ^ "Bulgaria's caretaker PM-designate Glavchev presents nominees for interim government". 5 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev".

See also