Любомир Стефанов

The digitalization of communications has created conditions for the modern reading of the contemporary phenomenon known as post-truth. Political con- sequences continue to pile up – from the marginalization of classical political parties to the atomization of citizens and the disintegration of their social struc- tures. Political culture, in turn, is undergoing a metamorphosis that seems to be lasting. Turning political communication into a battle in which there can be only one winner radicalizes the political process and has an extremely negative impact on communication between both citizens and their political representa- tives. Taking as hostile a position as possible towards those who disagree with a given proposal or idea has become a sign of political leadership.

During the president election campaign in 2016 a clear fact emerged: the candidates demonstrated basic lack of understanding about the competence, the functions, role and relevance of the institution. The narrative during the race presented a deeper misunderstanding of what the candidates think the President of Bulgaria actually works. The variations on the theme became the main reason for this text, which sets the difficult task not only to unveil the real nature of the presidential institution, but to go even further - to offer a recipe for modernizing the institution in accord with contemporary needs an institutional framework in Bulgaria.