The president of the Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Президент на Република България, romanised: Prezident na Republika Bălgariya) is the head of state of Bulgaria and the commander-in-chief of the Bulgarian Army. The official residence of the president is at Boyana Residence, Sofia. After the completion of the second round of voting, candidate Rumen Radev was elected President of Bulgaria on 13 November 2016.
In Bulgaria, the president's role is primarily as a symbolic figure, with the main function being to be the 'arbitrator' of disputes between Bulgaria's different institutions. They are not considered head of government or part of the nation's executive power. However, in the absence of a prime minister, presidents are in charge of appointing an interim administration, giving them considerable influence over the government during such periods (Zhelyu Zhelev in 1994-95; Petar Stoyanov in 1997; Rosen Plevneliev in 2013 and 2014; and Rumen Radev in 2017, 2021, and since 2022). On some occasions, the president has appointed the prime minister as well. The president is elected for a five-year term and is restricted to two terms, even if they are non-successive. After an individual has served two terms as president, that individual will forever be barred from being elected to the presidency again under the rules set out by Bulgaria's Constitution. The president addresses the nation on national television annually on New Year's Eve, just moments before the start of the new year.
