Todor Zhivkov

Todor Zhivkov was a Bulgarian politician who led Bulgaria from 1954 to 1989, during the communist era. As the country's head of government and then leader of the Bulgarian Communist Party, he maintained close ties with the Soviet Union and implemented policies aligned with Soviet interests. Under his rule, Bulgaria experienced industrial growth but also political repression and limited freedoms. His leadership ended with the fall of communist governments across Eastern Europe in 1989, and he was later convicted of misconduct. Zhivkov's tenure significantly shaped Bulgaria's 20th-century history and its relationship with the Eastern Bloc.