Videnov, Zhan (Jan) Vassilev (1959– )

Bulgarian politician, prime minister 1995–96. He played a key role in the remodelling of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BKP) as the reformed Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), becoming its leader in 1991. He took the party back to power in the 1994 general election, but resigned in December 1996 after a BSP-backed candidate was defeated in the presidential election.

Born in Plovdiv and educated at the Moscow State Institute for International Relations, Videnov climbed the ranks of the ruling BKP and became leader of the new, reform-socialist BSP in December 1991. Pledging to construct a social safety net to cushion the impact of the transition to a market economy and also to improve links with Russia, the BSP was elected to power under Videnov's leadership in December 1994, less than five years after the overthrow of the communist regime. However, Videnov's position was weakened in November 1996 when Petar Stoyanov, of the right-of-centre opposition Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), was elected president.