He became the Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly of Bulgaria (nominal head of state of Bulgaria) on 30 November 1958, shortly after the death of Georgi Damyanov, and served in that capacity until his own death on 20 April 1964.
On November 30, 1958, he became the nominal head of state of Bulgaria by assuming the position of Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly. This continued until his death on April 20, 1964.