The president of the Republic of Bulgaria () 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 happened on 12 occasions: Zhelyu Zhelev in 1994–1995; Petar Stoyanov in 1997; Rosen Plevneliev in 2013 and 2014; Rumen Radev in 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2024; and 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 would 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.
Election
Eligibility for election
For a Bulgarian citizen to be able to run for the office of President of Bulgaria, they must fulfil the following conditions: