# List of heads of state of Bulgaria

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)

| Prince | Prince | Reign | Reign | Reign | House | Claim |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Reign start | Reign end | Duration | House | Claim |
| | Alexander I Александър I 1857–1893 (Lived: 36 years) | 29 April 1879 | 7 September 1886 (Abdicated) | 7 years, 131 days | Battenberg | Elected by the First Grand National Assembly |
| | Ferdinand I Фердинанд I 1861–1948 (Lived: 87 years) | 7 July 1887 | 5 October 1908 | 21 years, 90 days | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry | Elected by the Third Grand National Assembly |

## Tsardom of Bulgaria (1908–1946)

| Tsar | Tsar | Reign | Reign | Reign | House | Claim |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Reign start | Reign end | Duration | House | Claim |
| | Ferdinand I Фердинанд I 1861–1948 (Lived: 87 years) | 5 October 1908 | 3 October 1918 (Abdicated) | 9 years, 363 days | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry | Proclaimed himself as Tsar |
| | Boris III Борис III 1894–1943 (Lived: 49 years) | 3 October 1918 | 28 August 1943 (Died) | 24 years, 329 days | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry | Son of Ferdinand I |
| | Simeon II Симеон II Born 1937 (87 years old) | 28 August 1943 | 15 September 1946 (Monarchy abolished) | 3 years, 18 days | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry | Son of Boris III |
| | Kiril, Prince of Preslav Кирил, принц Преславски 1895–1945 (Lived: 49 years) | 28 August 1943 | 9 September 1944 (Deposed) | 1 year, 12 days | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry | First Regency Council For Simeon II |
| | Bogdan Filov Богдан Филов 1883–1945 (Lived: 61 years) | 28 August 1943 | 9 September 1944 (Deposed) | 1 year, 12 days | — | First Regency Council For Simeon II |
| | Lt. General Nikola Mihov Никола Михов 1891–1945 (Lived: 53 years) | 28 August 1943 | 9 September 1944 (Deposed) | 1 year, 12 days | — | First Regency Council For Simeon II |
| | Todor Pavlov Тодор Павлов 1890–1977 (Lived: 87 years) | 9 September 1944 | 15 September 1946 (Monarchy abolished) | 2 years, 6 days | — | Second Regency Council For Simeon II |
| | Venelin Ganev Венелин Ганев 1880–1966 (Lived: 86 years) | 9 September 1944 | 15 September 1946 (Monarchy abolished) | 2 years, 6 days | — | Second Regency Council For Simeon II |
| | Tsvetko Boboshevski Цвятко Бобошевски 1884–1952 (Lived: 68 years) | 9 September 1944 | 15 September 1946 (Monarchy abolished) | 2 years, 6 days | — | Second Regency Council For Simeon II |

## People's Republic of Bulgaria (1946–1990)
### Status

| Head of State | Head of State | Head of State | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Duration | Political party |
| | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Took office | Left office | Duration | Political party |
| Chairman of the Provisional Presidency ||||||||
| | | Vasil Kolarov Васил Коларов 1877–1950 (Lived: 72 years) | — | 15 September 1946 | 9 December 1947 | 1 year, 85 days | BKP |
| Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly ||||||||
| | | Mincho Neychev Минчо Нейчев 1887–1956 (Lived: 69 years) | — | 9 December 1947 | 27 May 1950 | 2 years, 169 days | BKP |
| | | Georgi Damyanov Георги Дамянов 1892–1958 (Lived: 66 years) | — | 27 May 1950 | 27 November 1958† | 8 years, 184 days | BKP |
| | | Georgi Kulishev Георги Кулишев 1885–1974 (Lived: 89 years) | — | 27 November 1958 | 30 November 1958 | 3 days | BKP |
| | | Nikolay Georgiev [bg] Николай Георгиев 1906–1987 (Lived: 81 years) | — | 27 November 1958 | 30 November 1958 | 3 days | BZNS |
| | | Dimitar Ganev Димитър Ганев 1898–1964 (Lived: 65 years) | — | 30 November 1958 | 20 April 1964† | 5 years, 142 days | BKP |
| | | Georgi Kulishev Георги Кулишев 1885–1974 (Lived: 89 years) | — | 20 April 1964 | 23 April 1964 | 3 days | BKP |
| | | Nikolay Georgiev [bg] Николай Георгиев 1906–1987 (Lived: 81 years) | — | 20 April 1964 | 23 April 1964 | 3 days | BZNS |
| | | Georgi Traykov Георги Трайков 1898–1975 (Lived: 76 years) | — | 23 April 1964 | 7 July 1971 | 7 years, 75 days | BZNS |
| Chairman of the State Council ||||||||
| | | Todor Zhivkov Тодор Живков 1911–1998 (Lived: 86 years) | — | 7 July 1971 | 17 November 1989 | 18 years, 133 days | BKP |
| | | Petar Mladenov Петър Младенов 1936–2000 (Lived: 63 years) | — | 17 November 1989 | 3 April 1990 | 137 days | BKP |
| Chairman (President) of the Republic ||||||||
| | | Petar Mladenov Петър Младенов 1936–2000 (Lived: 63 years) | (Apr) 1990 | 3 April 1990 | 6 July 1990 | 94 days | BSP |
| | | Stanko Todorov Станко Тодоров 1920–1996 (Lived: 76 years) | — | 6 July 1990 | 17 July 1990 | 11 days | BSP |
| | | Nikolai Todorov Николай Тодоров 1921–2003 (Lived: 82 years) | — | 17 July 1990 | 1 August 1990 | 15 days | BSP |
| | | Zhelyu Zhelev Желю Желев 1935–2015 (Lived: 79 years) | (Jul–Aug) 1990 | 1 August 1990 | 15 November 1990 | 106 days | SDS |

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

| General Secretary | General Secretary | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Notes |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Duration | Notes |
| | Georgi Dimitrov Георги Димитров 1882–1949 (Lived: 67 years) | 27 December 1948 | 2 July 1949 | 187 days | Also Prime Minister (1946–1949) |
| | Valko Chervenkov Вълко Червенков 1900–1980 (Lived: 80 years) | 2 July 1949 | 4 March 1954 | 4 years, 245 days | Also Prime Minister (1950–1956) |
| | Todor Zhivkov Тодор Живков 1911–1998 (Lived: 86 years) | 4 March 1954 | 10 November 1989 | 35 years, 251 days | Also Prime Minister (1962–1971), and Chairman of the Council of State (1971–1989) |
| | Petar Mladenov Петър Младенов 1936–2000 (Lived: 63 years) | 10 November 1989 | 2 February 1990 | 84 days | Also Chairman of the Council of State (1989–1990) |

## Republic of Bulgaria (1990–present)

| President | President | President | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Duration | Political party |
| | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Took office | Left office | Duration | Political party |
| Chairman (President) of the Republic ||||||||
| | | Zhelyu Zhelev Желю Желев 1935–2015 (Lived: 79 years) | (Jul-Aug) 1990 | 15 November 1990 | 22 January 1992 | 1 year, 68 days | SDS |
| President of the Republic ||||||||
| | | Zhelyu Zhelev Желю Желев 1935–2015 (Lived: 79 years) | 1992 | 22 January 1992 | 22 January 1997 | 5 years | SDS |
| | | Petar Stoyanov Петър Стоянов Born 1952 (72 years old) | 1996 | 22 January 1997 | 22 January 2002 | 5 years | SDS |
| | | Georgi Parvanov Георги Първанов Born 1957 (67 years old) | 2001 2006 | 22 January 2002 | 22 January 2012 | 10 years | BSP |
| | | Rosen Plevneliev Росен Плевнелиев Born 1964 (60 years old) | 2011 | 22 January 2012 | 22 January 2017 | 5 years | GERB |
| | | Rumen Radev Румен Радев Born 1963 (61 years old) | 2016 2021 | 22 January 2017 | Incumbent | 8 years, 25 days | Independent (BSP–nominated) |

## Head of state titles

| State | Years | Title |
| Principality of Bulgaria | 1879–1908 | Prince of Bulgaria |
| Tsardom of Bulgaria | 1908–1946 | Tsar of Bulgaria |
| People's Republic of Bulgaria | 1946–1947 | Chairman of the Provisional Presidency |
| People's Republic of Bulgaria | 1947–1971 | Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly |
| People's Republic of Bulgaria | 1971–1990 | Chairman of the State Council |
| People's Republic of Bulgaria | 1990 | Chairman (President) of the Republic |
| Republic of Bulgaria | 1990–1992 | Chairman (President) of the Republic |
| Republic of Bulgaria | 1992–present | President of the Republic |