Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is stepping down from office after nearly nine years, ending two consecutive terms marked by repeated political crises and caretaker governments.
Bulgaria’s Constitutional Court is expected to hold a hearing later on Thursday on the case related to Radev’s resignation, Bulgarian media reported.
Radev submitted his resignation to the court on Tuesday, a day after announcing in a televised address that he would leave the presidency to run in snap parliamentary elections.
His departure brings to an end a decade-long presence at the presidency on Sofia’s Dondukov 2 boulevard, where he served two full terms and played a central role during prolonged periods of political instability.
Under Bulgaria’s constitution, if a president leaves office before the end of a mandate, the vice president assumes the role until the term expires. Following the court’s decision, Vice President Iliana Yotova is expected to take over presidential duties.
Yotova is expected to continue the procedure for appointing a caretaker government, including mandatory consultations with potential interim prime minister candidates and setting a date for early parliamentary elections, according to news.bg.
The presidency said Radev is scheduled to officially vacate the presidential building at 4:00 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) on Friday, when Yotova will formally assume the role of head of state.