Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has officially announced his resignation as head of state. In a televised address to the nation on the evening of 19 January, he said that he would submit his resignation to the country’s Constitutional Court on 20 January.
‘Today, I am addressing you for the last time as President of Bulgaria. Tomorrow, I will resign from the post of President of the Republic of Bulgaria,’ Radev said in his speech.
According to the constitution, after the Constitutional Court accepts his resignation, the duties of the president will be temporarily transferred to Vice-President Iliana Yotova until the end of the term in late 2026 or until new presidential elections are held.
Radev, who has held the post since January 2017, did not complete his second term — this is the first case of early voluntary resignation of a president in modern Bulgarian history.
The resignation comes amid a deep political crisis: in December 2025, mass anti-corruption protests forced the ruling coalition led by GERB to resign. Attempts to form a new government have failed, and the country is heading for its eighth early parliamentary elections since 2021.
Radev’s resignation could significantly change Bulgaria’s political landscape, especially given his popularity among voters who are critical of European integration, in particular the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2026, and foreign policy regarding the war in Ukraine.