Sergey Stanishev

Sergey Dmitrievich Stanishev ( ; born 5 May 1966) is a Bulgarian politician who is serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). He previously served as President of the Party of European Socialists from November 2011 to October 2022, Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2005 to 2009, Leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party from 2001 to 2014 and Member of the National Assembly from 1997 to 2014. Early life, education and career Stanishev was born in 1966, in Kherson, Ukrainian SSR (Soviet Union), to Dinah Sergeevna Muhina, a Soviet citizen and , a Bulgarian Communist official who headed the Bulgarian Communist Party's foreign policy department and would later become secretary of the party central committee. After beginning his schooling in Soviet Russia, he then graduated from the 35 SOU "Dobri Voynikov" in Sofia. Stanishev subsequently graduated from Moscow State University in 1989 and obtained his candidate degree (PhD-equivalent) in 1994 both in the field of history. His thesis was entitled "The system of service promotion of high ranking officials in Russia and its evolution during the second half of XIX century". In 1998, he specialized in political sciences at Moscow School of political studies. He was a visiting fellow in international relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1999–2000. He also worked as a freelance journalist. In 1995, he became a staff member in the Foreign Affairs Department of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). He was Chief of Foreign Policy and International Relations for the BSP from 1996 to 2001. In May 2000 he was elected a Member of the BSP Supreme Council and Member of the Executive Bureau. In June 2001, he entered politics when he was elected as a member of the Bulgarian National Assembly from the region of Ruse.