OFFICES OF STATE
Terms of office
- President — in office at the last reviewSucceeded to the presidency as vice president
Journalism and education
Iliana Iotova graduated in Bulgarian philology from Sofia University. Her professional career began in television journalism. At Bulgarian National Television she worked as a reporter, editor and presenter and later headed news operations. This career preceded her party and parliamentary activity and explains the enduring importance of public communication in her biography.
The national and European parliaments
After television, Iotova worked in the Bulgarian Socialist Party’s communications and became a member of the National Assembly. From 2007 to 2017 she served in the European Parliament. Her official biography records work involving consumer protection, fisheries, petitions and civil liberties. These fields describe her parliamentary experience without implying sole authorship of European decisions.
Vice-presidency and institutional continuity
Iotova began her first term as vice-president alongside Rumen Radev in 2017 and a second in 2022. The vice-presidency is a separate constitutional office. Its significance becomes particularly visible when presidential powers end early: the Constitution provides for the vice-president to assume the office for the remainder of the term.
President from January 2026
On 23 January 2026 Iotova assumed the presidency following the termination of Radev’s powers. In February she issued the decree appointing a caretaker government headed by Andrey Gyurov. These are distinct documented events: constitutional succession to the presidency and the exercise of authority to appoint a caretaker cabinet. Assessment of an ongoing presidency must follow its actual acts and outcomes.
Sources and documents
References accompany each section. Speeches and reports by political figures also reflect their own perspective.
- Presidency · Iliana Iotova ↗m.president.bg
- National Assembly · Constitution of Bulgaria ↗www.parliament.bg
- Presidency · Iliana Iotova takes office, 23 January 2026 ↗www.president.bg
- State Gazette · Decree 57/2026 ↗dv.parliament.bg
Reference data last reviewed: . End dates in the timeline indicate the handover of office.
Portrait credit
Unknown authorUnknown author · Original · CC BY 2.5 bg
