Rulers
April 2004
Rocca Serra | 
Barzani |
1
Argentina: President Néstor Kirchner removes the governor of Santiago del Estero, Mercedes Marina Aragonés de Juárez, from office and appoints Pablo Lanusse as federal interventor.
France: Camille de Rocca Serra is elected as president of the Corsican Assembly, with 27 votes against 19 for Émile Zuccarelli. Two hours later Rocca Serra resigns, refusing the 8 votes of the National Union. The Assembly holds another vote on April 4, Rocca Serra being elected with 30 votes against 17 for Zuccarelli. Ange Santini is elected president of the Executive Council.
Iraq: Massoud Barzani becomes president of the Governing Council.
Mexico: Former governor of Puebla (1975-81) Alfredo Toxqui Fernández de Lara dies.
Bollini | 
Riccardi |
San Marino: Paolo Bollini (Socialist) and Marino Riccardi (Democrat) are installed as captains-regent.
Brogli |
Switzerland: Roland Brogli becomes Landammann of Aargau.
United States: Alphonso Jackson is sworn in as secretary of housing and urban development.
2
Azerbaijan: Elmar Mammadyarov is appointed foreign minister.
El Salvador: René Mario Figueroa is sworn in as new interior minister.
France: The following new presidents of the Regional Councils take office: Pierre-Joël Bonté (Auvergne), Philippe Duron (Basse-Normandie), François Patriat (Bourgogne), Jean-Yves Le Drian (Bretagne), Michel Sapin (Centre), Jean-Paul Bachy (Champagne-Ardenne), Raymond Forni (Franche-Comté), Georges Fręche (Languedoc-Roussillon), Jean-Paul Denanot (Limousin), Jean-Pierre Masseret (Lorraine), Jacques Auxiette (Pays de la Loire), Claude Gewerc (Picardie), Ségolčne Royal (Poitou-Charentes), Jean-Jack Queyranne (Rhône-Alpes), and Victorin Lurel (Guadeloupe).
Montserrat: Governor Tony Longrigg departs and Sir Howard A. Fergus becomes acting governor.
Nicaragua: Luis Eduardo Montiel Morales is appointed finance minister.
Rajapakse |
Sri Lanka: In parliamentary elections, President Chandrika Kumaratunga's United People's Freedom Alliance wins 45.8% of the vote (105 of 225 seats), Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party 37.9% (82), the Tamil National Alliance 6.6% (22), and the National Heritage Party 6.1% (9). On April 5 Kumaratunga appoints Mahinda Rajapakse as new prime minister; he is sworn in the next day. On April 10 a cabinet is named including Lakshman Kadirgamar as foreign minister, Kumaratunga as defense minister, Sarath Amunugama as finance minister, and Amarasiri Dodangoda as home affairs minister.
3
Cape Verde: In a cabinet reshuffle, Victor Borges becomes foreign minister, Joăo Pinto Serra finance minister, and Júlio Lopes Correia interior minister.
Slovakia: In the first round of presidential elections, former prime minister Vladimír Meciar (Movement for a Democratic Slovakia) finishes first with 32.7% of the votes, followed by former parliament speaker Ivan Gasparovic (Movement for Democracy) with 22.3%, Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union) with 22.1%, incumbent president Rudolf Schuster (independent) with 7.4%, Frantisek Miklosko (Christian Democratic Movement) with 6.5%, and Martin Bútora (independent) with 6.5%. Turnout is 47.9%. A runoff is held on April 17 and won by Gasparovic with 59.9% against 40.1% for Meciar. Turnout is 43.5%. Gasparovic will take office June 15.
4
Iraq: Ali Allawi is appointed defense minister.
Malta: Eddie Fenech Adami takes office as president.
Russia: In a runoff in Altay kray, Mikhail Yevdokimov is elected governor with 49.5% of the vote against 46.3% for incumbent Aleksandr Surikov and 3.4% against all. Turnout is 57.5%. In Koryak autonomous okrug, the runoff results in incumbent Vladimir Loginov being elected with 51.4% against 39.5% for Boris Chuyev and 7.6% against all. Turnout is 70%.
5
Indonesia: In parliamentary elections, the Golkar party wins 21.6% of the vote (128 of 550 seats), President Megawati Sukarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle 18.5% (109), the National Awakening Party 10.6% (52), the United Development Party 8.2% (58), the Democrat Party 7.5% (57), the Prosperous Justice Party 7.3% (45), and the National Mandate Party 6.4% (52). Turnout is 84%.
Kazakhstan: Arman Dunayev is appointed finance minister, replacing Yerbolat Dosayev.
Taiwan: Interior Minister Yu Cheng-hsien resigns. Su Chia-chuan is appointed in his place.
6
Paulauskas | 
Gendotti |
Lithuania: Parliament votes three articles of impeachment against President Rolandas Paksas, removing him from office. Parliament Speaker Arturas Paulauskas becomes acting president.
Netherlands Antilles: Prime Minister Mirna Louisa-Godett resigns.
Switzerland: Gabriele Gendotti becomes president of the Council of State of Ticino.
7
Italy: Former president of Sicilia (1991-92, 2000-01) Vincenzo Leanza dies.
Rodr. Zapatero | 
Moratinos | 
Barreda |
Spain: King Juan Carlos I asks José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to form a new government. The parliament confirms him on April 16 (183-148 with 19 abstentions). He is sworn in on April 17. His cabinet (taking office April 18) includes Miguel Ángel Moratinos as foreign minister, José Bono Martínez as defense minister, Pedro Solbes as finance minister, and José Antonio Alonso Suárez as interior minister. Bono resigns as president of the Junta of Castilla-La Mancha on April 17; José María Barreda Fontes first assumes the presidency in an acting capacity and is elected to the post on April 27 and sworn in on April 30.
8
Algeria: In presidential elections, incumbent Abdelaziz Bouteflika wins 85% of the vote, former prime minister Ali Benflis 6.4%, and Abdallah Djaballah 5%. Turnout is 58.1%.
Iraq: Interior Minister Nuri al-Badran resigns. On April 9 Samir Sumaidy is named interior minister.
Somalia: Former governor of British Somaliland (1959-60) Sir Douglas Hall dies.
Vanuatu: In the first round of presidential elections, no candidate wins the necessary two-thirds majority in the electoral college, the government-backed candidate Kalkot Mataskelekele winning 26 votes and Alfred Maseng 21. A second round is conducted on April 10 and is again inconclusive (Mataskelekele 32, Maseng 21). Voting continues on April 12; the third round gives 36 votes to Mataskelekele and 20 to Maseng and in the fourth round Maseng is elected with 40 votes against 16 for Mataskelekele. Maseng is sworn in the same day.
9
Myanmar: Former president (1988) Sein Lwin dies.
10
Chen |
Shpak |
Taiwan: The government accepts the resignation of Foreign Minister Eugene Chien. Chen Tang-shan is named foreign minister.
12
Russia: Georgy Shpak takes office as governor of Ryazan oblast.
14
Macedonia: In the first round of presidential elections, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski wins 42.9% of the vote, Sasko Kedev 34.5%, and Gzim Ostreni 14.3%. Turnout is 55.4%. The second round is held on April 28 and won by Crvenkovski with 62.7% against 37.3% for Kedev. Turnout is 53.4%.
Kiselyov | 
Yevdokimov |
Russia: Nikolay Kiselyov is sworn in as governor of Arkhangelsk oblast and Mikhail Yevdokimov as governor of Altay kray.
Serbia and Montenegro: Vuk Draskovic is nominated foreign minister and Prvoslav Davinic defense minister. They are elected by the parliament on April 16.
Michel |
Seychelles: President France-Albert René steps down and Vice President James Michel is sworn in as president. Michel also takes over the defense and interior portfolios from René. On April 16 Joseph Belmont is sworn in as new vice president.
South Africa: In parliamentary elections, the African National Congress (ANC) wins 69.7% of the vote (279 of 400 seats), the Democratic Alliance (DA) 12.4% (50), and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) 7% (28). Turnout is 76.7%. Results of provincial elections:
- Eastern Cape: The ANC wins 51 of 63 seats, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) 6, the Democratic Alliance 5, and the Pan African Congress (PAC) 1. On April 26 Nosimo Balindlela is sworn in as premier.
- Free State: The ANC wins 25 of 30 seats, the DA 3, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) 1, and the Freedom Front Plus (VF+) 1. On April 26 Beatrice Marshoff is sworn in as premier.
- Gauteng: The ANC wins 51 of 73 seats, the DA 15, the IFP 2, the UDM 1, the VF+ 1, the ACDP 1, the Independent Democrats (ID) 1, and the PAC 1.
- KwaZulu-Natal: The ANC wins 38 of 80 seats, the IFP 30, the DA 7, the ACDP 2, the Minority Front 2, and the UDM 1. On April 23 S'bu Ndebele is elected unanimously and sworn in as new premier.
- Limpopo: The ANC wins 45 of 49 seats, the DA 2, the UDM 1, and the ACDP 1. Catherine Mabuza becomes acting premier on April 22 as incumbent Ngoako Ramatlhodi was elected MP. Sello Moloto is sworn in as new premier on April 26.
- Mpumalanga: The ANC wins 27 of 30 seats, the DA 2, and the VF+ 1. Thabang Makwetla is sworn in as premier on April 30.
- North West: The ANC wins 27 of 33 seats, the United Christian Democratic Party 3, the DA 2, and the VF+ 1. Edna Molewa is sworn in as premier on April 30.
- Northern Cape: The ANC wins 21 of 30 seats, the DA 3, the ID 2, the New National Party (NNP) 2, the VF+ 1, and the ACDP 1. Dipuo Peters is elected as new premier on April 26 and takes office on April 30.
Ramatlakane | 
Rasool |
- Western Cape: The ANC wins 19 of 42 seats, the DA 12, the NNP 5, the ID 3, the ACDP 2, and the UDM 1. Leonard Ramatlakane is sworn in as acting premier on April 23 after the resignation of Marthinus van Schalkwyk, who was elected MP. Ebrahim Rasool is elected premier on April 26 and sworn in on April 30.
On April 23 Thabo Mbeki is elected unopposed for a second term as president. On April 28 he unveils a new cabinet, in which Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula replaces Mangosuthu Buthelezi as minister of home affairs; the foreign, defense, and finance ministers are retained.
15
South Korea: In parliamentary elections, the Uri Party wins 152 of 299 seats, the Grand National Party 121, the Democratic Labour Party 10, the Millennium Democratic Party 9, and the United Liberal Democrats 4. Turnout is 60.6%.
17
Papua New Guinea: Former premier of Milne Bay (1978-81) Patrick Paulisbo dies.
18
Comoros: In the first round of parliamentary elections, supporters of the island presidents win 5 seats and supporters of the federal president 3. In the second round held on April 25, the islands' candidates win 6 seats, the supporters of the union 3, and one seat is won by an independent. Turnout in the election for those 18 seats is over 65%. The remaining 15 seats in the 33-seat assembly will be nominated by the island parliaments.
Fiji: Former chief minister (1967-70), prime minister (1970-87, 1987-92), and president (1993-2000) Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara dies.
19
United States: Former Nebraska governor (1961-67) Frank B. Morrison dies.
20
Antigua and Barbuda: In a repeat vote caused by a tie in the March general election, the Barbuda seat in parliament is won by the Barbuda People's Movement.
United States: Tom Barrett is inaugurated as mayor of Milwaukee.
21
Guernsey: In parliamentary elections, only nonpartisans are elected. Turnout is 64%.
Poland: Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski is given the additional responsibility of acting interior minister following the election of Józef Oleksy as speaker of the Sejm.
Sall |
Senegal: President Abdoulaye Wade dismisses Prime Minister Idrissa Seck. Interior Minister Macky Sall is appointed as new prime minister. In the new government formed on April 22, Cheikh Sadibou Fall becomes interior minister.
22
Turkmenistan: President Saparmurat Niyazov fires Finance Minister Yazkuly Kakalyev. Deputy Finance Minister Bibitach Vekilova is appointed acting minister for six months.
23
Denmark: Defense Minister Svend Aage Jensby resigns. The next day Sřren Gade is appointed in his place.
Gaplikov |
Russia: In Chuvashia, President Nikolay Fyodorov dismisses Prime Minister Natalya Partasova. Sergey Gaplikov is named acting prime minister. On April 27 the parliament approves Gaplikov as new prime minister.
25
Austria: In presidential elections, Heinz Fischer (Social Democratic Party) wins 52.4% of the vote and Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Austrian People's Party) 47.6%. Turnout is 71.6%. Fischer will take office July 8.
Equatorial Guinea: In parliamentary elections, the ruling Democratic Party wins 47.5% of the vote (68 of 100 seats), its allies (the so-called "democratic opposition") 40.5% (30), and the Convergence for Social Democracy 5.8% (2). Turnout is 96%.
Iran: Safdar Hosseini replaces Tahmasb Mazaheri as economy and finance minister.
Japan: Former foreign minister (1989) Hiroshi Mitsuzuka dies.
Schmid-Sutter |
Switzerland: Carlo Schmid-Sutter becomes Regierender Landammann of Appenzell Innerrhoden.
26
India: In state elections in Andhra Pradesh held on April 20 and 26, the Congress Alliance wins 228 of 294 seats (Indian National Congress 188 [38.3% of the vote], Telangana Rashtra Samithi 26 [6.4%], Communist Party of India [Marxist] 8 [1.4%], Communist Party of India 6 [1.4%]), the Telugu Desam Party 48 (37.3%), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 2 (2.8%). In Karnataka, the BJP wins 79 of 224 seats (28.3%), the Congress 65 (35.3%), and the Janata Dal (Secular) 58 (20.8%). In Orissa, the Biju Janata Dal wins 61 of 147 seats (27.4%), the Congress 38 (34.8%), and the BJP 32 (17.1%).
Sierra Leone: George Banda Thomas (acting since March 2003) is confirmed as interior minister.
Zimbabwe: Herbert Murerwa is appointed acting finance minister following the arrest of Chris Kuruneri.
28
Burgstaller |
Austria: Gabi Burgstaller is sworn in as Landeshauptfrau of Salzburg.
Ethiopia: Former foreign minister (1974-77) Kifle Wodajo dies.
Maďga |
Mali: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed Ag Hamani presents the resignation of his government. Ousmane Issoufi Maďga is appointed prime minister on April 29 and installed on April 30.
30
Comoros: Defense Minister Hamada Madi resigns.
Guinea: Prime Minister François Lonseny Fall resigns.
Sri Lanka: Former governor of Central province (2001-02) K.B. Ratnayake dies.
Sri Lanka: Dharmadasa Wanniarachchi takes office as governor of North Western province.
