February 1999

Rane

1

Dologuélé

Metefara

Central African Republic: Parliament approves Anicet Georges Dologuélé as prime minister. Marcel Metefara becomes foreign minister.
India: Narayan Rane is sworn in as chief minister of Maharashtra, succeeding Manohar Joshi, who resigned January 30.
Moldova: Prime Minister Ion Ciubuc announces his resignation. On February 5 Chisinau mayor Serafim Urecheanu is nominated as prime minister, but he withdraws his candidacy on February 17. On February 19 Ion Sturza is nominated for the post.
Taiwan: Tang Fei becomes defense minister.

2

Brazil: Former acting governor of Maranhão (1982-83) Ivar Figueiredo Saldanha dies.

Chávez

Venezuela: Hugo Chávez takes office as president. José Vicente Rangel becomes foreign minister, Gen. Raúl Salazar defense minister, and Luis Miquilena interior minister; Maritza Izaguirre remains finance minister.

3

Mihajlovic

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Parliament approves Haris Silajdzic and Svetozar Mihajlovic as co-prime ministers.
Ghana: President Jerry Rawlings appoints E.K.T. Donkor as defense minister.
Honduras: Former foreign minister (1979-80) Eliseo Pérez Cadalso dies.

4

Christmas Island/Cocos Islands: Bill Taylor is appointed as administrator of both territories.

6

Australia: Former South Australia premier (1967-68, 1970-79) Donald Allan Dunstan dies.

Abdullah

7

Germany: In state elections in Hessen, the Christian Democratic Union wins 43.4% of the vote (50 of 110 seats), Minister-President Hans Eichel's Social Democratic Party 39.4% (46), the Greens 7.2% (8), and the Free Democratic Party 5.1% (6). Turnout is 66.4%.
Jordan: King Hussein dies. His son Abdullah, who was appointed crown prince on January 25, becomes King Abdullah II.

8

Burke

Australia: Northern Territory chief minister Shane Stone resigns and is replaced by Denis Burke.
Belarus: Yury Sivakou is appointed interior minister.
Rwanda: In a cabinet reshuffle, Amri Sued replaces Anastase Gasana as foreign minister.

9

Canada: In Newfoundland elections, Premier Brian Tobin's Liberals win 32 of 48 seats (49.7% of the vote), followed by the Progressive Conservatives with 14 (40.8%) and the New Democratic Party with 2 (8.2%).

10

Syria: With 99.99% of the vote, President Hafez al-Assad wins a referendum giving him another seven-year term. Turnout is also over 99%.

12

India: The government of Bihar under Chief Minister Rabri Devi is dismissed and the state put under president's rule. That same day, the chief minister of Orissa, Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, resigns. On February 15 Giridhar Gomango is named to succeed him.
United States: President Bill Clinton is acquitted of two articles of impeachment. On the first article (perjury), 45 senators vote guilty, 55 not guilty. On the second article (obstruction of justice), the vote is split 50-50.

15

Ecuador: In a cabinet reshuffle, Ana Lucía Armijos replaces Fidel Jaramillo as finance minister and Vladimiro Álvarez Grau replaces Armijos as interior minister.

16

Greenland: In parliamentary elections, the Siumut party wins 35.3% of the vote (11 seats), Atassut 25.1% (8), Inuit Ataqatigiit 22.1% (7), and independents 17.5% (5). Turnout is 74.8%.
Federated States of Micronesia: Former president (1991-97) Bailey Olter dies.
Slovenia: Parliament passes a vote of no confidence in Interior Minister Mirko Bandelj.

18

G. Papandreou

Greece: In a cabinet reshuffle, Georgios Papandreou is appointed foreign minister and Vasso Papandreou interior minister. They are sworn in on February 19.
Kenya: Francis Masakhalia replaces Simeon Nyachae as finance minister.

21

Vanuatu: Former prime minister (1980-91) Walter Lini dies.

22

Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu names Meir Sheetrit as finance minister and he is approved by Parliament the following day.

23

New Zealand: Prime Minister Jenny Shipley's minority government wins a parliamentary confidence vote (61-59).
Turkey: Finance Minister Zekeriya Temizel resigns. He is replaced by Nami Cagan.

24

Liberia: John Bestman replaces Elie Saleeby as finance minister.

25

Bonsu

Ghana: The Asantehene (ruler of the Asanteman Confederation), Otumfuo Nana Opoku Ware II, dies. The Mamponghene, Nana Osei Bonsu II, becomes regent.

27

Nigeria: Former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo of the People's Democratic Party wins presidential elections with 62.8% of the vote, defeating former finance minister Olu Falae (37.2%), candidate of the Alliance for Democracy and the All People's Party. Obasanjo is to take office May 29.