What happens when a president resigns in Bulgaria?

20.01.2026 | Domestic policy

An overview of the procedure when the President of Bulgaria resigns, including the role of the Vice President and potential consequences. Examination of the historical context and citation of the Constitution.

Снимка от Cheep, Wikimedia Commons, под лиценз CC BY 2.5 bg

According to Article 97 of the Constitution, resignation to the Constitutional Court is a possibility for the early termination of the powers of the President and Vice President.

The powers are terminated after the establishment of the circumstances by the Constitutional Court.

Upon the resignation of the President, the Vice President assumes office until the end of the term. The current Vice President of Bulgaria is Iliana Iotova.

Rumen Radev is the fifth democratically elected president. He was elected for his first term in 2016 and re-elected in 2021 (former commander of the Air Force).

To date, there has been no case of a President resigning. Blaga Dimitrova resigned as Vice President in 1993, driven by political considerations.