Atanas Pekanov Ivan Demerdzhiev Hristo Alexiev Lazar Lazarov
Succeeded by
Lyudmila Petkova
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 6 June 2023 – 9 April 2024
Prime Minister
Nikolai Denkov
Preceded by
Ivan Kondov
Succeeded by
Stefan Dimitrov
European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
In office 1 December 2019 – 15 May 2023 On leave: 10 May 2023 – 15 May 2023*
President
Ursula von der Leyen
Preceded by
Tibor Navracsics (Education, Culture, Youth and Sport)
Succeeded by
Iliana Ivanova
European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society
In office 7 July 2017 – 30 November 2019
President
Jean-Claude Juncker
Preceded by
Günther Oettinger
Succeeded by
Margrethe Vestager (Digital Age)
Member of the European Parliament for Bulgaria
In office 14 July 2009 – 6 July 2017
Preceded by
Nikolay Mladenov
Succeeded by
Asim Ademov
Personal details
Born
Mariya Ivanova Nedelcheva
(1979-05-20) 20 May 1979 (age 44) Hadzhidimovo, PR Bulgaria
Political party
Bulgaria: GERB EU: EPP
Spouse
François Gabriel
(m. 2012)
Children
1
Education
Plovdiv University (BA) Institute of Political Studies, Bordeaux (MA)
Occupation
Politician
political scientist
*Gabriel's portfolio was split by Schinas and Vestager during her leave and vacancy. When Vestager took her own leave during the vacancy, the rest of the portfolio was given to Schinas in the interim.[1]
Mariya Ivanova Gabriel (Bulgarian: Мария Иванова Габриел; néeNedelcheva, Bulgarian: Неделчева; born 20 May 1979) is a Bulgarian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2023 to 2024. A member of the GERB party, she previously served as European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth from 2019 to 2023, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society from 2017 to 2019 and Member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2017.
In the European Parliament she served as Vice-President of the European People's Party (EPP) group, Vice-President of EPP Women and head of the Bulgarian EPP delegation. She was first appointed to the European Commission in 2017 as European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society to fill a spot left vacant by the departure of Kristalina Georgieva. Ms Gabriel left with a mixed record and reputation in Brussels.[2] In particular, she struggled to realize a €415 billion plan to make the EU a global tech hub.[3]
On 22 May 2023, a coalition of GERB and We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) agreed to form a government with two rotating prime ministers, Nikolai Denkov and Gabriel.[4][5]
Mariya Ivanova Gabriel (Bulgarian: Мария Иванова Габриел; née Nedelcheva, Bulgarian: Неделчева; born 20 May 1979) is a Bulgarian politician who served...
PP–DB's Nikolai Denkov would start with the premiership, with GERB's MariyaGabriel serving as deputy prime minister, and after nine months, the two would...
Russian former rower MariyaGabriel (born 1979), Bulgarian politician Mariya Grabovetskaya (born 1987), Kazakhstani weightlifter Mariya Grinberg (1908–1978)...
gave the first mandate to MariyaGabriel, wishing her luck in forming a government. On 22 May, GERB PM candidate, MariyaGabriel, returned the first mandate...
government, and the party nominated Bulgaria's European Commissioner, MariyaGabriel, for prime minister. GERB—SDS sought to form a government with rival...
the Prime Minister for the first nine months of the government and MariyaGabriel, the GERB candidate, would serve as deputy prime minister and foreign...
Independent experts. The respective nominees for Prime Minister were MariyaGabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education...
government for the following nine months, before switching positions with MariyaGabriel. Following extensive talks between the two coalitions involved, as well...
and left all other funding items as secondary. Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel was unhappy with her and said that "this will have significant consequences...
Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society (previously for Digital Agenda). MariyaGabriel served as Digital Economy and Society Commissioner from 2017 to 2019...
candidate, MariyaGabriel. However, a few days later Slavi Trifonov announced the party would not support the expert government formed by MariyaGabriel arguing...
nominated both Ivanova and Daniel Lorer as potential successors to MariyaGabriel as European Commissioner from Bulgaria. On 28 June 2023, European Commission...
nine months. He will be succeeded by former European Commissioner, MariyaGabriel, of the GERB party. She will take over as prime minister after nine...
European Commissioner by the Council of the European Union. 15 May 2023: MariyaGabriel resigns as Commissioner after being tasked with forming the next Bulgarian...