Zhelyu Zhelev

Tags: President.

Zhelyu Mitev Zhelev (Bulgarian: Желю Митев Желев) (born March 3 1935) is a Bulgarian politician and former dissident who served as the first non-Communist President of Bulgaria from 1990 to 1997. He was elected as President by the 7th Grand National Assembly and was then elected directly by the people in 1992. He lost his party’s nomination for his 1996 reelection campaign after losing a tough primary race to Petar Stoyanov. He then largely stepped out of the spotlight of public life.

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active years end date

1997-01-22

active years start date

1990-08-01

birth date

1935-03-03

birth place

Bulgaria, Smyadovo

order in office

Chairman of the Union of Democratic Forces, 2nd President of Bulgaria

party

Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria)

prime minister

Lyuben Berov, Dimitar Iliev Popov, Reneta Indzhova, Andrey Lukanov, Philip Dimitrov, Zhan Videnov

profession

Philosopher

successor

Petar Stoyanov, Petar Beron (politician)

vice president

Blaga Dimitrova, Atanas_Semerdzhiev