Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as Prime Minister of Bulgaria

Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria (born June 16, 1937) was the last Tsar of Bulgaria from 1943 to 1946, and was Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2001 until August 2005. He is sometimes known in the English speaking world as Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, which is the English form of his family's original German name Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha. He is the only monarch in history to regain political power through democratic election to a different office (see Norodom Sihanouk and Napoleon III for similar histories). During his job as Prime Minister he use the name of Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski to make a difference from his royal surname. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Prime Ministers, 1879-1946 Todor Stoyanov Burmov 17 July 1879 - 6 December 1879 Archbishop Kliment Turnovski 6 December 1879 - 5 April 1880 Dragan Kiriakov Tsankov 5 April - 10 December 1880 Petko Karavelov 10 December 1880 - 9 May 1881 Johann Casimir Ernrot 9 May - 13 July 1881 Prince Alexander 13 July... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Early Bulgar leaders bore the title of baltavar (balt-avar), which literally means ruler of Avars. Later they acquired the title Khan and Khagan, still later the title tsar. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Prime Ministers, 1879-1946 Todor Stoyanov Burmov 17 July 1879 - 6 December 1879 Archbishop Kliment Turnovski 6 December 1879 - 5 April 1880 Dragan Kiriakov Tsankov 5 April - 10 December 1880 Petko Karavelov 10 December 1880 - 9 May 1881 Johann Casimir Ernrot 9 May - 13 July 1881 Prince Alexander 13 July... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (German: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) was once the name given to the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany, in the present states of Bavaria and Thuringia, which were in personal union between 1826 and 1918. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Time in office: April 24, 1941–March 3, 1955; November 20, 1991–October 7, 2004 (King from September 24, 1993) Predecessor: Sisowath Monivong (first time); Chea Sim (second time) Successor: Norodom Suramarit (first time); Norodom Sihamoni (second time) Date of Birth: October 31, 1922 Place of Birth: Phnom Penh His... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ...

Royal history

Simeon is the son of Tsar Boris III and Tsaritsa Giovanna (of the House of Savoy). He was baptized with water taken from the River Jordan and flown to Bulgaria by an air force major. He became Tsar on August 28, 1943 upon the sudden and suspicious death of his father, shortly after a dinner meeting with Adolf Hitler. Since Tsar Simon was only six years old upon assuming the throne, his uncle Prince Kyril of Bulgaria and two others were appointed regents. On the 9th September 1944, Kyril and the other regents were removed by a Soviet-backed coup. Kyril was soon tried and executed, as were many members of Bulgaria's educated governing classes. Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 – August 28, 1943), originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver, son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second... Tsaritsa Giovanna of Bulgaria, (13 November 1907 - 26 February 2000) was the last Tsaritsa of Bulgaria. ... The House of Savoy was a dynasty of nobles who traditionally had their domain in Savoy, a region between Piedmont, Italy, France and French-speaking Switzerland. ... This article is about the Jordan River in western Asia. ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... â–¶ (help· info) (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 and Führer (Leader) of Germany from 1934 to his death by suicide. ... His Royal Highness Kyril Prince of Preslav (17 November 1895 - 1 February 1945) was the second son of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and his first wife Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma. ... // High public office A regent, from the Latin regens who reigns is anyone who acts of head of state, especially if not the Monarch (who has higher titles). ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Socialist republics/ Communist state Area  - Total  - % water Largest on the planet 22,402,200 km² ?% Population  - Total  - Density 3rd before collapse 293,047,571 (July... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ...

Simeon was allowed to stay on the throne with regents appointed by the new Communist government. In 1946 the monarchy was abolished after a rigged referendum that claimed 95% approval. The royal family initially went to Alexandria, Egypt, where Tsaritsa Giovanna's father Victor Emanuel III, ex-king of Italy, was living in exile. In July 1951 the Spanish government of Francisco Franco granted asylum to the exiled Bulgarian royal family. In Madrid Simeon graduated from the Lycée Francais and studied law and political science. In 1955, upon turning eighteen, he proclaimed himself the Tsar of Bulgaria, in accordance with the Turnovo Constitution. In 1958–59 he enrolled at Valley Forge Military Academy and College in the United States, where he was known as "Cadet Rylski" and graduated as a second lieutenant. Once again in Spain, Simeon studied law and business administration, and went on to become a businessman. Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Antiquity and modernity stand cheek-by-jowl in Egypts chief Mediterranean seaport Located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, Alexandria (in Arabic, الإسكندرية, transliterated al-ʼIskandariyyah) is the chief seaport in Egypt, and that countrys second largest city, and the capital... Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele III) (November 11, 1869 - December 28, 1947), nicknamed The Soldier, was the King of Italy (July 29, 1900 - May 9, 1946), and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia (1936 - 1943) and King of Albania (1939 - 1943). ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Francisco Franco Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (December 4, 1892 – November 20, 1975), abbreviated Francisco Franco Bahamonde and sometimes known as Generalisimo Francisco Franco, was the dictator and Head of State of Spain (in parts of the country from 1936, totally from 1939) until his death in... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Valley Forge Military Academy is an historic, internationally renown, American boarding school for boys grades seven through twelve, and additionally offers a 2 year junior college program. ...

Sakskoburggotski as Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, 1944

In 1962 Simeon married a Spanish aristocrat, Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela. They had five children — four sons (Kardam, Kyril, Kubrat and Konstantin, in that order) and a daughter, Kalina, all of whom also married Spaniards. He spent most of his adult life working as a businessman: thirteen years as chairman of the Spanish subsidiary of Thomson, a French defence and electronics group, and as an advisor in the banking, hotel, electronics, and catering sectors. This image of a postage stamp may be copyrighted and/or have other restrictions on its reproduction imposed by the issuing authority. ... This image of a postage stamp may be copyrighted and/or have other restrictions on its reproduction imposed by the issuing authority. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Queen Margarita (Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela) is the queen consort of King Simeon II of Bulgaria. ...

Political return

In all his years of exile, Simeon never lost touch with Bulgaria. He is fluent in Bulgarian, which he speaks in a slightly courtly and old-fashioned manner, as well as in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish; he also speaks some Arabic and Portuguese. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Arabic (; , less formally, ) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ...

During the Communist era Simeon often offered his services to the government, requesting diplomatic positions such as UN ambassador where he could "represent" the country internationally. Such requests were ignored, but they helped raise Simeon's profile as a man still interested in the politicial developments of his country.

In 1996 Simeon visited Bulgaria for the first time since his childhood. He was well-received, with thousands in the streets cheering him and chanting "We want our tsar." The estates of his family in Bulgaria that had been nationalized under Communism were returned to him. At first he declared that he was willing to donate "his" forests in Rila Mountain to the eponymous National Park but later reneged on that promise. Instead, he expressed his support for a controversial Super Borovetz project which aims to expand the ski resort of Borovetz at the expense of the neighbouring forests. 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

In 2001 Simeon, now using the name Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski, saying that he wished to return for good, announced the formation of a new political party, the National Movement for Simeon II (NMSII), dedicated to "reforms and political integrity." Simeon himself promised a period of 800 days, after which the Bulgarian people would start feeling the positive effects of his government's rule and they would have a higher standard of living. These promises worked and in an election held June 17, 2001, the NMS won 120 out of 240 seats in Parliament, overturning both of Bulgaria's entrenched parties. Sakskoburggotski was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bulgaria on July 24, forming a coalition with the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). He assembled a cabinet composed mainly of technocrats and Western-educated economic specialists, with an eye towards eventual membership in the European Union. In 2005, he formed a new coalition government consisting not only of NMSII and MRF but also of New Time, a splinter group from NMSII. 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Bulgarian political parties | Liberal parties ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Chairmen of the Council of Ministers, 1879-1991 Prime Ministers, 1991-present See also History of Bulgaria Politics of Bulgaria List of Bulgarian monarchs List of Presidents of Bulgaria Categories: Lists of office-holders | Prime Ministers of Bulgaria ... July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 160 days remaining. ... The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (Движение за права и свободи, Dviženie za Prava i Svobodi) is a centrist political party in Bulgaria, based in the Turkish minority. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sakskoburggotski made no public commitment on whether he believes Bulgaria should restore the monarchy, saying it is a matter for the people of Bulgaria to decide. As he never formally abdicated he retains the claim to his royal title and has not renounced it. His oath to the Republican Constitution in 2001, however, was seen as a rejection of monarchy. High-ranking representatives of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (which was given a boost during Sakskoburggotski's term as Prime Minister) declared that they would join an eventual discussion about the restoration of monarchy although it seems very unlikely that the majority of Bulgarians would support the idea in a plebiscite. 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

Simeon's popularity faded during his four year rule as prime minister. Many Bulgarians attributed that to his inability to keep his promises, in particular the failure of the 800 days economic quick fix program to meet popular expectations. There were also allegations that his government was involved in corrupt privatisation deals. Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ...

Sakskoburggotski has always refused to take part in political debates. This has been largely attributed to both his inability to speak Bulgarian clearly and concisely and his aristocratic nature. However, no one has yet given an explanation why he does not take part. Debate is a formalized system of (usually) logical argument. ...

Defeat

At the June 25, 2005 elections, Sakskoburggotski's party polled only 20% of the vote, being overtaken by the Socialists with 31%, although no single party won a majority of seats. After nearly a month of political uncertainty, Sergei Stanishev of the Bulgarian Socialist Party undertook on July 20 to form a Cabinet. When Sakskoburggostski refused to take part in a coalition government, on July 27 the BSP formed a coalition with the MRF. Stanishev's Cabinet, however, was rejected by the Parliament. After another three weeks of deadlock, Sakskoburggotski agreed on 15 August to join a three-party coalition government headed by Stanishev. Sakskoburggotski is yet to reveal his future intentions. June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sergei Stanishev Sergei Dmitrievich Stanishev (Bulgarian: Сергей Станишев) (born May 5, 1966), Bulgarian politician, is Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). ... The Bulgarian Socialist Party (Bulgarian: Balgarska Socialističeska Partija or Българска социалистическа партия) (BSP or БСП) is a political party in Bulgaria and successor to the Bulgarian Communist Party. ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ...

Children

• Prince Kardam of Saxe-Coburg, styled HRH The Prince of Turnovo (born 1962). Married Doña Miriam Ungria y López styled HRH Princess Miriam of Bulgaria. They have two sons, HRH Prince Boris and HRH Princes Beltran.
• Prince Kyrill, styled HRH The Prince of Preslav (born 1964). Married Doña Rosario Nadal y Fuster-Puigdorfila styled Princess Rosario of Bulgaria. They have two daughters, HRH Princess Mafalda and HRH Princess Olimpia, and one son, HRH Prince Tassilo.
• Prince Kubrat, styled HRH The Prince of Panagiúrishte (born 1965). Married Doña Carla Maria Royo-Villanova y Urrestarazu styled HRH Princess Clara (Claire) of Bulgaria, and have three sons: HRH Prince Mirko, HRH Prince Lukás and HRH Prince Tirso.
• Prince Konstantin-Assen, styled HRH The Prince of Vidin (born 1967). Married Doña María Garcia de la Rasilla y Gortazar styled HRH Princess Maria of Bulgaria, and have twins, HRH Prince Umberto and HRH Princess Sofia.
• Princess Kalina, styled HRH The Princess Kalina of Bulgaria (born 1972). Married Don Antonio "Kitín" Muñoz Valcárcel.

Kardam of Saxe-Coburg (born December 2, 1962), styled Prince of Turnovo and heir to the (defunct) throne of Bulgaria, is eldest son of former tsar (later Prime Minister) Simeon Sakskoburggotski and his wife Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela. ... Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (German: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) was once the name given to the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany, in the present states of Bavaria and Thuringia, which were in personal union between 1826 and 1918. ... Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 - August 28, 1943), son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second major defeat in only five years, after the disastrous Second Balkan War (1913). ... Early Bulgar leaders bore the title of baltavar (balt-avar), which literally means ruler of Avars. Later they acquired the title Khan and Khagan, still later the title tsar. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Ivan Yordanov Kostov (born December 23, 1949 in Sofia) was Prime Minister of Bulgaria from May 1997 to July 2001 and leader of the Union of Democratic Forces between December 1994 and July 2001. ... Chairmen of the Council of Ministers, 1879-1991 Prime Ministers, 1991-present See also History of Bulgaria Politics of Bulgaria List of Bulgarian monarchs List of Presidents of Bulgaria Categories: Lists of office-holders | Prime Ministers of Bulgaria ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sergei Stanishev Sergei Dmitrievich Stanishev (Bulgarian: Сергей Станишев) (born May 5, 1966), Bulgarian politician, is Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). ...

See also

• List of monarchs who lost their thrones or abdicated in the 20th century

The following monarchs either lost their thrones through deposition by a coup détat, by a referendum which abolished their throne, or chose to abdicate during the 20th century. ...

External links

• The first website about Simeon II of Bulgaria focuses on his pre-1995 history
• Financial Times July 2001 Biography
• Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's address, February 10, 2005 concerning amending the constitution to bring it in line with EU requirements
• Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's statement, July 5, 2002 concerning Bulgaria's candidacy for NATO membership: "The role of the international community should be gradually transformed from crisis response to integration. Palliative measures intended to mitigate yet another crisis cannot bring stability and prosperity. The best solution is the region's integration into the European and Euroatlantic institutions."
• [1] NMSII website
• [2] MRF website
• [3] New Time website