Who runs local government in Bulgaria?
Bulgaria has one elected tier: 265 municipalities (obshtini), each with an elected council and an elected mayor (kmet). Inside municipalities, about 3,187 villages and urban areas called kmetstva elect their own mayors too. The 28 regions (oblasti) are run by governors appointed by the Council of Ministers.
Republic of Bulgaria · Unitary republic · Eastern Europe
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Regions – oblasti (28) | Regional governor appointed by the Council of Ministers | Represent the state, check that municipal decisions are lawful, co-ordinate regional development. |
| Municipalities – obshtini (265) | Municipal council and mayor (kmet) directly elected every four years (last in October 2023) | Schools (buildings and staff), kindergartens, local roads, waste, water, social services. |
| Mayoralties – kmetstva (about 3,187) and city districts – rayoni (35) | Kmetstvo mayor and district mayor directly elected; in villages under 350 people the municipal mayor appoints a deputy (kmetski namestnik) | Day-to-day services and documents for villages and urban districts. |
Three questions about local power in Bulgaria
Are local leaders elected?
Municipal councils, municipal mayors, kmetstvo mayors and city district mayors are all directly elected. Regional governors are appointed.
Which laws set up local government?
The 1991 Constitution (Chapter 7) and the Local Self-Government and Local Administration Act set the system. Chitalishta are formal associations under their own law.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters elect and can change mayors and councils; the regional governor can send unlawful municipal decisions back or take them to court; the National Audit Office audits finances.
Traditional and customary authority
No customary authority exists in law. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is named in the Constitution as the traditional religion and Muslim communities have local muftis, but neither has formal local government powers.
Community and neighbourhood power
The chitalishte (community cultural centre) is a uniquely Bulgarian institution: a self-governing association run by its members, recognised by law, which runs libraries, clubs and festivals in almost every town and many villages. The village mayoralty (kmetstvo) is the main hyper-local tier and is part of formal government.
Points to know
- Bulgarian municipalities averaged about 26,000 people in 2020, much larger than in neighbouring Romania.
- Sofia capital municipality has 24 city districts, each with its own elected mayor.
- About 36% of districts lost at least a fifth of their population over the past two decades (OECD), leaving many villages with very few residents.
- Six planning regions exist only for EU funds and statistics.
Local terms
- Kmet
- Mayor of a municipality or of a village mayoralty.
- Kmetstvo
- Village mayoralty inside a municipality, with its own elected mayor.
- Chitalishte
- Community cultural centre, a member-run association.
Sources
- Constitution of Bulgaria (1991, rev. 2015), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Bulgaria: country profile (territorial organisation, responsibilities, finance), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
- Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Government of Bulgaria, checked 14 October 2026
See also: Bulgaria's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.