October 1997

1

Christmas Island/Cocos Islands: Ron Harvey takes office as administrator of both territories.
San Marino: Luigi Mazza (Christian Democrat) and Marino Zanotti (Socialist) are installed as captains-regent.

3

Nigeria: Former Ondo governor (1979-83) Michael Ajasin dies.

4

Nepal: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand resigns after a no-confidence vote (107-94). On October 7 Surya Bahadur Thapa is sworn in as new prime minister. He keeps 17 cabinet portfolios for himself but retains Finance Minister Rabindra Nath Sharma and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa. On October 9 the new prime minister wins a confidence vote with 109 votes.

5

Austria: In state elections in Oberösterreich, the ÖVP wins 42.7% of the vote (25 seats), the SPÖ 27.1% (16 seats), the FPÖ 20.6% (12 seats), and the Greens 5.5% (3 seats).
Yugoslavia: In presidential runoff elections in Serbia, Vojislav Seselj of the Radical Party wins 49.1% of the vote and Zoran Lilic of the Socialist Party 47.9%, but the vote is invalidated because of the 49% turnout (50% are required) and a new election is to take place on December 7. In Montenegro, incumbent Momir Bulatovic and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic qualify for a runoff.

7

Ireland: Foreign Minister Ray Burke resigns. The following day Defense Minister David Andrews is named foreign minister. He is replaced as defense minister by Michael Smith.
Rwanda: President Pasteur Bizimungu dismisses Jean-Berchmans Birara as finance minister. He is replaced by Donald Kaberuka.

8

French Polynesia: Jean Aribaud is appointed high commissioner.

Kim

North Korea: Kim Jong Il is elected general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.

9

Falkland Islands: Parliamentary elections (there are no parties).
Italy: Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigns after the Communist Refoundation withdrew its support. Clinching a deal with the party on October 14, however, allows Prodi to remain in office. He wins a confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies on October 16 (319-285).
Tunisia: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali appoints Said Ben Mustapha as foreign minister, replacing Abderrahim Zouari. Ali Chaouch replaces Mohamed Ben Rejeb as interior minister.

10

Kazakhstan: Nurlan Balgimbayev is appointed prime minister.
Switzerland: Former Landammann of Sankt Gallen (1962-63, 1969-70) Hans Schneider dies.

11

Australia: In elections in South Australia, Premier John Olsen's Liberals win about 23 seats in the 47-seat parliament (36% of the vote), Labor about 21 (29.2%).

12

Frenette

Cameroon: Incumbent Paul Biya wins presidential elections with 92.6% of the votes over Henri Hogbe Ndlend (2.5%) and Samuel Eboua (2.4%). Turnout is officially 81.4%.
Iraq: Former foreign minister (1963) Talib Shabib dies.

13

Albania: Former prime minister (1982-91) Adil Çarçani dies.
Canada: J. Raymond Frenette is sworn in as premier of New Brunswick.
Norway: Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland resigns. On October 17 Kjell Magne Bondevik of the Christian People's Party takes over as prime minister. Knut Vollebæk becomes foreign minister; Dag Jostein Fjærvoll, defense minister; Gudmund Restad, finance minister.

Bondevik

15

Congo (Brazzaville): Forces of former president Denis Sassou-Nguesso take control of Brazzaville. Sassou-Nguesso is sworn in as president on October 25.

17

Buzek

Geremek

Poland: Prime Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz resigns. Jerzy Buzek is appointed as prime minister, but outgoing finance minister Marek Belka becomes acting premier until October 31, when Buzek and his cabinet are sworn in. Bronislaw Geremek is foreign minister, Janusz Onyszkiewicz defense minister, Janusz Tomaszewski interior minister, and Leszek Balcerowicz finance minister.

19

Yugoslavia: In Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic wins the presidential runoff election with 50.8% of the vote against incumbent Momir Bulatovic with 49.2%. Turnout is about 70%.

20

Denmark: Interior Minister Birte Weiss resigns and is replaced by Thorkild Simonsen.

21

Guinea: Zainoul Abidine Sanoussi becomes interior minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Haiti: Prime Minister Rosny Smarth leaves office, having resigned in June and unwilling to wait any longer for the appointment of a successor.

23

Czech Republic: Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec resigns.

24

Thailand: Kosit Panpiemras is appointed finance minister, following the resignation on October 19 of Thanong Bidaya.

26

Argentina: In parliamentary elections, the opposition Alliance composed of the Radical Civic Union and Frepaso wins 45.7% of the votes, compared to 36.2% for the Peronists of President Carlos Menem.

28

Parikh

India: Dilip Parikh is sworn in as chief minister of Gujarat.

30

McAleese

Ireland: Presidential elections are won by Mary McAleese (Fianna Fáil) with 45.2% of the first-preference votes, ahead of Mary Banotti (Fine Gael) with 29.3%, Rosemary Scallon with 13.8%, Adi Roche (Labour Party) with 7%, and Derek Nally with 4.7%. After the minor candidates are eliminated, McAleese has 58.7% against Banotti's 41.3%.