For the first time in Bulgarian history, a woman became president

For the first time in Bulgaria's history, the position of head of state has been assigned to a female politician. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

On January 23, 2026, the Constitutional Court officially approved the resignation of President Rumen Radev. As a result, the presidential powers were transferred to Vice President Iliyana Yotova.

This was reported by the mass media. According to the Constitution, Iliyana Yotova will serve as head of state until January 2027, that is, until the end of the current presidential term.

The court made the decision to terminate Radev's powers early based on his own application. Rumen Radev has been serving as president since 2017.

He was previously the commander of the Bulgarian Air Force. Radev went down in history as the first president in the modern democratic era to resign voluntarily before the end of his term.

He explained his decision by a desire to participate more actively in political processes and to prepare for parliamentary elections. 61-year-old Iliyana Yotova accepted the presidential powers.

Since she took the oath as vice president, there is no need for her to retake the oath. In his address, Rumen Radev called Yotova a worthy deputy and expressed confidence in her ability to ensure the stability of state institutions amid the political crisis.

Iliyana Yotova has extensive experience in political and international arenas. She has worked as a television journalist, headed the press center of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and served as a deputy in the national parliament and the European Parliament.

During her activities in Europe, Yotova dealt with issues such as combating terrorism, protecting personal data, and Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area. In her new position, she is expected to represent the country internationally, conduct consultations with parliamentary factions, and oversee the process of setting the date for the next parliamentary elections.