Last updated: April 2026 · Status: Ceremonial head of state · Age: 61
Iliana Iotova, President of Bulgaria (since January 23, 2026)
Iliana Malinova Iotova (née Todorova; born 24 October 1964) is a Bulgarian politician and journalist who has served as President of Bulgaria since 23 January 2026. She is the first woman to hold the office, and the first Bulgarian vice president to assume the presidency intra-term after her predecessor resigned. A member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Iotova served as vice president under Rumen Radev from 2017 to 2026 before succeeding him. The Bulgarian presidency is a largely ceremonial office: the president signs laws, promulgates decrees, nominates the prime minister from the largest parliamentary formation, and serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Day-to-day executive authority rests with the cabinet. Iotova inherited a caretaker government; on 11 February 2026 she nominated Andrey Gyurov, deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, as acting prime minister.
Early life and media career
Iotova was born in Sofia in 1964. She studied at the Lycée Français de Sofia before earning a degree in Bulgarian and French philology from Sofia University, and later specialised at the École nationale d’administration (ENA) in Strasbourg and the Center for European Studies at the University of Strasbourg. Before politics she worked briefly as a nurse at Sofia’s First Hospital (St John the Baptist), then spent 1990–1997 at Bulgarian National Television as a reporter, editor, director, and head of the News and Current Affairs Directorate. She joined the Bulgarian Socialist Party’s press service in 1997 and has been a BSP member since.
Parliament and Brussels (2005–2017)
Iotova was elected to the National Assembly in 2005 and served until 2007, leading the Bulgarian delegation to the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie. She then served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2017, re-elected in 2014, sitting with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. In the European Parliament she served on the committees for Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Fisheries, Petitions, and Civil Liberties (LIBE), where she became vice-chair under Claude Moraes. She was her group’s rapporteur on the 2015 report calling for equitable distribution of 40,000 refugees across the EU.
Vice President (2017–2026)
Ahead of Bulgaria’s 2016 presidential election, Iotova was nominated as the BSP’s running mate for Rumen Radev. After winning, she resigned her MEP seat and was sworn in on 19 January 2017. As vice president she focused on relations with Bulgarian communities abroad and the promotion of Bulgarian education and language. Radev and Iotova were re-elected for a second term in November 2021, defeating Anastas Gerdjikov with 66% in the run-off, and sworn in again in January 2022.
Succession to the presidency (January 2026)
On 19 January 2026, President Rumen Radev announced in a televised address that he would resign ahead of snap parliamentary elections. He submitted his resignation to the Constitutional Court the following day. On 23 January 2026 the Constitutional Court formally accepted the resignation, and Iotova was elevated to the presidency — the first woman to hold the office in Bulgarian history. She will serve the remainder of Radev’s term until the next Bulgarian presidential election.
| Full name | Iliana Malinova Iotova (née Todorova) |
| Born | 24 October 1964 · Sofia, Bulgaria (age 61) |
| Office | President of Bulgaria (ceremonial; 1st female) |
| In office since | 23 January 2026 |
| Predecessor | Rumen Radev (2017–2026) |
| Prime Minister | Andrey Gyurov (acting, since 11 February 2026); previously Rosen Zhelyazkov |
| Vice President | Vacant |
| Party | Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), since 1997 |
| Education | Sofia University; ENA Strasbourg; University of Strasbourg (CEES) |
| Capital | Sofia |
| Official residence | Boyana Residence, Sofia |
| Human rights rating | Freedom House: Free (79/100) |
Frequently asked questions
Who is the president of Bulgaria in 2026?
Iliana Iotova has been President of Bulgaria since 23 January 2026. She is the country’s first female president and succeeded Rumen Radev after he resigned ahead of snap elections.
How old is Iliana Iotova?
Iotova was born on 24 October 1964 in Sofia and is 61 years old as of April 2026.
Why did Rumen Radev resign?
Radev announced his resignation on 19 January 2026 in a televised address ahead of snap parliamentary elections, submitting his formal resignation to the Constitutional Court on 20 January. The court accepted it on 23 January 2026, and Iotova — his vice president — was elevated to the presidency.
What powers does the Bulgarian president have?
The presidency is largely ceremonial. The president signs laws, promulgates decrees, schedules elections, nominates the prime minister from the largest parliamentary formation, commands the armed forces, and can veto legislation (which parliament can override). Day-to-day executive authority rests with the cabinet.
Is Iotova the first female president of Bulgaria?
Yes. Iotova is the first woman to serve as President of Bulgaria and the first vice president to assume the presidency intra-term.
Rosen Zhelyazkov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (incorrectly listed previously)
Assumed office: 16 January 2025
Rosen Zhelyazkov became Prime Minister of Bulgaria in January 2025, forming a cabinet after receiving a mandate from President Rumen Radev. He had earlier served as Minister of Transport, Information Technology, and Communications, and was a member of parliament. His government came amid ongoing political instability and repeated elections.
Born in 1968 in Blagoevgrad, Zhelyazkov studied law at Sofia University. He is married with children and is known for his technocratic background and focus on infrastructure and digital policy.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosen_Zhelyazkov
Rumen Radev, Former President of Bulgaria (2017–2026) (elected on Nov 13, 2016; re-elected Nov 21, 2021 with 66.7% of the vote)
The President of Bulgaria is the head of state of Bulgaria and the commander-in-chief of the Military of Bulgaria. The official residence of the President is at Boyana Residence, Sofia. After the completion of the second round of voting, candidate Rumen Radev was elected President of Bulgaria on 13 November 2016. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Bulgaria and https://www.president.bg/cat9/President-biography/
Rosen Plevneliev, Former President of Bulgaria (elected on Oct 23, 2011. took office on Jan 22, 2012)
Born in Gotse Delchev, Rosen Plevneliev studied at Blagoevgrad Mathematical and Natural Sciencies High School, from which he graduated in 1982. In 1989 he graduated from the Higher Mechanical-Electrotechnical Institute, Sofia, and in the same year become a fellow at the Institute for Microprocessing Technology, Pravetz. In 1990 he started the first post-communist private building company in Bulgaria. Among other projects, the company built the Sofia Business Park.Plevneliev became Minister of Regional Development and Public Works under Prime Minister Borisov on July 27, 2009. He was announced as GERB’s candidate for President of Bulgaria on September 4, 2011. He subsequently won the presidential election in a second round held on October 30, 2011, with majority of 55.3%. He defeated Ivaylo Kalfin from the Bulgarian Socialist Party in the second round. He is married and has three sons: Philip, Asen and Paul.
GEORGI PARVANOV, Former President of Bulgaria
Date of birth: 28 June 1957 Place of birth: Sirishnik, Pernik district Nationality: Bulgarian Marital status: Married, with two sons
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1975: Finishes the Secondary School of Mathematics, Pernik
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1981: Graduates from the Faculty of History of the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia
- Qualifications and Scholarly Career:
- 1981: Joins the Institute of History of the Bulgarian Communist Party as a Research Associate
- 1988: Defends a doctoral thesis in history on “Dimiter Blagoev and the Bulgarian National Problem 1879-1917
- 1989: Senior Research Associate at the above institute. His scholarly interests focus on the Bulgarian national question and Bulgarian Social Democracy in its early period
- 1992-1996: Director of the Centre for History and Policy Studies with the Supreme Council (SC) of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)
Political Career:
- 1981-2001: Member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)
- 1991: Joins the BSP leadership at the 40th congress in December of the year when the BSP suffers its first loss in democratic elections. As member of the SC Executive Bureau at the time, Georgi Parvanov is directly responsible for the development of the ideological discussion and the preparation of new programme documents, which reflect the complex transformation of a party with a 100-year chequered history and its legitimation as an integral part of the European and world democratic Left
- 1994: Elected deputy chairman of the Supreme Council (SC) of the BSP at its 41st congress
- 1996: Heads the party, again amid a political crisis, when due to unsuccessful governance the BSP faces a dramatic fall from office. The 42nd extraordinary congress called in these circumstances in December 1996 elects Georgi Parvanov BSP Chairman. It is in this capacity that two months later he makes the difficult decision to cede power and head for early elections that will ease social tensions and open the way to national consensus and crisis resolution. As leader of the BSP, already in opposition, Parvanov manages to unite the Bulgarian Left, sets up the New Left and firmly puts it on course to the European social democratic values
- 1998 and 2000: Re-elected Chairman of the SC of the BSP at its 43rd and 44th congresses
- 1994-2001: MP of the 37th, 38th and 39th National Assemblies
- 1997-2001: Floor leader of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Left, then of the Parliamentary Group of the Coalition for Bulgaria in the National Assembly
- November 2001: Elected President of the Republic of Bulgaria. Inaugurated on January 22, 2002. As head of state he works actively for Bulgaria’s European and Euro-Atlantic prospects, for its worthy place in Europe and the world. In domestic policy, he has the ambition to bring out the social sensitivity of the institution, to endorse the language of political dialogue, to rally the parties and institutions around the country’s strategic goals
Academic Achievements:
- Honorary Doctorate from Presov University, Baku University and Yerevan State University
- Holder of the Grand Gold Medal of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk University of Brno
Published Works:
- Author of several monographs and books and of scores of articles, including “From Bouzloudja to the Korona Theatre. An Attempt at a New Reading of Pages from the BSP’s Social Democratic Period (1995), “Bulgarian Social Democracy and the Macedonian Question from the Late 19th Century to 1918″(1997), etc
- His book “November 10: Before and After” is published in 2001.