President of Bulgaria

Eligibility for election For a Bulgarian citizen to be able to run for the office of President of Bulgaria, they must fulfil the following conditions: • Must be a Bulgarian citizen by birth • Must be at least 40 years old • Must have lived in Bulgaria for the five years prior to the candidacy • Must fulfil all conditions that would be required for election as a representative to Bulgaria's National Assembly Electoral system The president is elected directly by the Bulgarian people in a two-round election for a five-year term. If a candidate obtains at least 50% of the vote with at least 50% voter turnout, that candidate is elected. If this isn't the case, the top two candidates face off in a runoff election. == Restrictions ==

The president is barred from being a member of the National Assembly, as well as holding any other government, public or private offices for the duration of their term. The president is also constitutionally forbidden from being involved in a leadership position of a political party while in office. The president is however allowed to be a member of a political party. == Powers and privileges ==

The president of Bulgaria has a number of functions and powers that are regulated in Chapter 4 of the 1991 Constitution of Bulgaria. Presidential powers The following powers belong to the president of Bulgaria: • The ability to give, restore or revoke Bulgarian citizenship, and refugee status. • Appoint and dismiss senior government officials • Exercise the right to pardon convicted criminals, as well as forgive 'uncollectible' debts owed to the government • Rename villages, towns and cities, as well as objects of national importance • Act as Supreme commander-in-chief of the Bulgarian Armed Forces • Represent Bulgaria at home and abroad • Schedule the National and local elections within the intervals designated by law • Veto any bill coming from the National Assembly by refusing to sign it after its passage in the assembly. • Declares war, martial law or any other state of emergency (This is done with the assistance of the Consultative Council on National Security) • Grant and award the orders, decorations, and medals of Bulgaria Immunity The president enjoys blanket legal immunity during his or her tenure and is not held responsible for any act performed while on duty, with the exception of treason or violation of the Bulgarian constitution. His or her authority may only be stripped via impeachment and may not be removed by any other institution. The president cannot be detained and may not be prosecuted. == List of office holders ==

== Living former presidents ==

The most recent death of a former president was on 30 January 2015, when Zhelyu Zhelev died at age 79. == Vice president ==

The president is assisted in their duties by the vice president of Bulgaria. The vice president replaces the president in case of absence. Upon the death, resignation or removal from office of the president, the vice president assumes the presidential office until the end of the term. The Constitution permits the president to delegate to the vice president certain powers, notably: to appoint and dismiss certain officials, issue pardons and amnesty, provide citizenship and refugee status. The VP enjoys the same privileges of immunity as the president and can only be dismissed from his office under the same procedure. == Termination of office ==

According to the constitution, the mandate of the president is completed if and when: • The presidential term expires • The president resigns before the Constitutional Court • The president is permanently unable to perform his/her duties due to serious illness • The president dies while in office • The president is impeached Impeachment Impeachment can begin if the president has committed treason or has violated the Constitution of Bulgaria, after at least a quarter of the members of the National Assembly deposit an accusatory act before the assembly. The act must be approved by a 2/3 supermajority of MPs in order to be accepted. If accepted, the case is referred to the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria, which must decide within a one-month time period whether the president is guilty or innocent of the crime they have been accused of by the Assembly. If the constitutional court finds that the president has committed treason or violated the constitution, the president is impeached and is stripped of their authority. == Bulgarian presidential line of succession ==

• 1. Vice President of Bulgaria • 2. Chairman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria • 3. Prime Minister of Bulgaria == Latest election ==