THE LEGACY OF THE MONARCHY IN POST-COMMUNIST BULGARIA
THE LEGACY OF THE MONARCHY IN POST-COMMUNIST BULGARIA

Summary/Abstract: The 1946 referendum marked a turning point in Bulgarian political development, replacing a constitutional monarchy with a Soviet-aligned communist republic. Decades later, the collapse of the communist regime in 1989 reopened public discussion about the monarchy’s historical significance and legacy—topics that had been suppressed, ignored, or denigrated under socialism. The fall of communism throughout Eastern Europe, including the Balkans, also reignited interest in monarchies as political institutions. Bulgaria stands out in this context, as it witnessed the active political return of its former monarch, Simeon II, who came back from exile and eventually became prime minister. This article examines the legacy of the Bulgarian monarchy after 1989, tracing its historical foundations, its representation in contemporary political discourse and historiography, and the unprecedented political trajectory of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

• Details
• Contents