OFFICES OF STATE
Terms of office
- President — First presidential term
- President — Second term · ended early
- Prime minister — in office at the last reviewRadev government
Pilot training and military education
Radev graduated from the air force school at Dolna Mitropolia in 1987 and began serving as a pilot at Ravnets. He later studied at the Rakovski Military Academy and attended courses in the United States. In 2003 he graduated from the Air War College at Maxwell with a master’s degree in strategic studies. His flying career included MiG-29 demonstration flights, and he commanded the Bulgarian Air Force from 2014 to 2016.
A military career before politics
Rumen Radev entered national politics after a career in the Bulgarian Air Force. His professional background involved military aviation, pilot training and command. Before his election as president he became commander of the Air Force. This military experience provides biographical context, while presidential authority derives from the Constitution rather than from a previous military rank.
The presidential terms
Radev took office as president in January 2017 and began a second term in January 2022. His presidency included years of repeated parliamentary elections and difficulty forming durable governments. In these circumstances, procedures for government formation and the appointment of caretaker cabinets occupied a prominent place in presidential activity.
Caretaker cabinets and the institutional role
Caretaker prime ministers during his presidency included Ognyan Gerdzhikov, Stefan Yanev, Galab Donev and Dimitar Glavchev. These appointments did not constitute one continuous government: each had its own membership, period and political context. Individual cabinets were responsible for their decisions, while the president’s role is documented through appointment acts and constitutional procedures.
The end of the presidency
In January 2026 Radev’s presidential powers ended following his resignation. Iliana Iotova assumed the presidency on 23 January. This is an important dividing line in his biography: his subsequent political activity was not a continuation of the same presidential mandate, but a move into a different institutional role.
Election as prime minister in 2026
On 8 May 2026 the National Assembly elected Radev prime minister. The official announcement establishes the starting point for the new government’s chronology. As prime minister he directs and coordinates the Council of Ministers’ general policy, a responsibility distinct from the presidency. This biography therefore brings both offices together while listing their terms separately.
Sources and documents
References accompany each section. Speeches and reports by political figures also reflect their own perspective.
- Bulgarian News Agency · Rumen Radev’s military and presidential career ↗www.bta.bg
- Presidency · biographies ↗www.president.bg
- National Assembly · Constitution of Bulgaria ↗www.parliament.bg
- Presidency · appointment and elections, 2017 ↗www.president.bg
- Presidency · Stefan Yanev ↗m.president.bg
- Council of Ministers · Galab Donev ↗www.government.bg
- National Audit Office · Dimitar Glavchev ↗www.bulnao.government.bg
- Presidency · Iliana Iotova takes office, 23 January 2026 ↗www.president.bg
- National Assembly · election of government ↗www.parliament.bg
Reference data last reviewed: . End dates in the timeline indicate the handover of office.
