Rulers
June 2004
1
Ecuador: Finance Minister Mauricio Pozo resigns and is replaced by Mauricio Yépez.
 Saca |  Laínez |
El Salvador: Antonio Saca takes office as president. Ana Vilma de Escobar becomes vice president, Francisco Laínez foreign minister, Gen. Otto Romero defense minister, and Guillermo López finance minister; René Mario Figueroa remains as interior minister.
Iraq: Ghazi al-Yawer is chosen as president, to take office June 30. Ibrahim al-Jaafari and Rowsch Shaways are named vice presidents. The Governing Council decides to dissolve immediately rather than remain in office until June 30, and a new cabinet under Iyad Allawi (who was designated prime minister on May 28) takes office. Hazem Shalan al-Khuzaei becomes defense minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi finance minister, and Falah Hassan al-Naqib interior minister; Hoshyar Zebari remains foreign minister. The handover of sovereignty planned for June 30 is later advanced and takes place on June 28.
 Egger-Jenzer |  Perrinjaquet |  Keller |  Graf-Schelling |  Arnold |
Switzerland: Barbara Egger-Jenzer becomes president of the government of Bern, Sylvie Perrinjaquet president of the Council of State of Neuchâtel, Josef Keller president of the government of Sankt Gallen, Claudius Graf-Schelling president of the government of Thurgau, and Josef Arnold Landammann of Uri.
Switzerland: Former president of the Council of State of Valais (1989-90, 1994-95) Richard Gertschen dies.
2
Ethiopia: Former acting president (1991) Tesfaye Gebre Kidan dies.
Indonesia: Sjachroedin is sworn in as governor of Lampung.
 Kostov |
Macedonia: The parliament approves (68-12) the new government of Prime Minister Hari Kostov. Siljan Avramovski replaces Kostov as interior minister; other key ministries are unchanged.
Nepal: King Gyanendra appoints Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister. He is sworn in on June 3. On June 10 Deuba announces a three-member cabinet; he personally takes charge of the foreign affairs, defense, finance, and home affairs portfolios among others.
3
India: B.L. Joshi is appointed lieutenant governor of Delhi. He is sworn in on June 9.
Netherlands Antilles: Etienne Ys is sworn in as prime minister.
United States: CIA Director George Tenet resigns, effective July 11.
4
Malaysia: Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob is sworn in as governor of Malacca.
United States: John Danforth is nominated as new ambassador to the United Nations. He is confirmed by the Senate on June 24.
5
Georgia: In a cabinet reshuffle, Giorgi Baramidze becomes defense minister and is replaced as interior minister by Irakli Okruashvili.
United States: Former governor of California (1967-75) and president (1981-89) Ronald Reagan dies.
7
Organization of American States: Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría, former president of Costa Rica, is elected secretary-general, to take office in September.
Pakistan: The chief minister of Sindh, Ali Mohammad Mahar, resigns. On June 9 the provincial assembly elects Arbab Ghulam Rahim chief minister.
8
South Korea: President Roh Moo Hyun nominates Lee Hae Chan for the post of prime minister. He is approved by the National Assembly on June 29 (200-84) and takes office June 30.
10
Greece: Former prime minister (1989-90) Xenophon Zolotas dies.
Mexico: Former Zacatecas governor (1956-62) Francisco E. García dies.
 Thémereau |
New Caledonia: The Congress elects Marie-Noëlle Thémereau as new president of the government. Hours later, three ministers resign from the government. Under the country's electoral system, any resignation of a minister brings down the whole government; a new session of Congress to elect a government is held on June 24, but the vote for the president fails when Thémereau and Pierre Frogier each get 4 of the 11 votes, with 3 abstentions. Thémereau is finally confirmed on June 29, winning 8 of 11 votes, with 3 abstentions.
11
Equatorial Guinea: The government of Prime Minister Cándido Muatetema Rivas resigns. On June 14 President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo names Miguel Abia Biteo Boricó as new prime minister. In the new cabinet announced on June 15, Gen. Antonio Mba Nguema (the president's half-brother) becomes defense minister. Foreign Minister Pastor Micha Ondo Bile, Finance Minister Marcelino Owono Edu, and Interior Minister Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene are retained.
Poland: Marek Belka is again nominated as prime minister. On June 24 the parliament endorses his government by 236 votes to 215.
Serbia and Montenegro: Harri Holkeri, who resigned as Kosovo administrator in May, leaves his post. His deputy Charles H. Brayshaw serves as acting administrator in the interim. On June 16 Søren Jessen-Petersen of Denmark is named as new administrator.
13
Belgium: Regional elections are held:
- Flanders: Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) wins 35 of 124 seats, the Flemish Bloc (VB) 32, Flemish Liberals (VLD)-Vivant 25, Flemish Socialists (sp.a-spirit) 25, Groen! 6, and the Union of Francophones 1. Turnout is 93.8%.
- Wallonia: The Socialist Party (PS) wins 34 of 75 seats, the Reformist Movement (MR) 20, the Humanist Democratic Centre (CDH) 14, the National Front (FN) 4, and Ecolo 3. Turnout is 89.5%.
- Brussels-Capital: The PS wins 26 of 89 seats, MR 25, CDH 10, Ecolo 7, VB 6, FN 4, VLD-Vivant 4, sp.a-spirit 3, CD&V 3, and Groen! 1. Turnout is 83.6%.
- German community: The Christian Social Party wins 8 of 25 seats, the Party for Freedom and Progress (PFF)-MR 5, the PS 5, the Party of German-speaking Belgians 3, Ecolo 2, and Vivant 2. Turnout is 89%.
European Union: In elections to the European Parliament held June 10-13, the European People's Party wins 278 of 732 seats, the Party of European Socialists 199, the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party 67, the Greens 41, and the European United Left/Nordic Green Left 39. Turnout is 45.5%. National results:
- Austria (June 13): Social Democrats 33.4% of the vote (7 of 18 seats), People's Party 32.7% (6), List Hans-Peter Martin 14% (2), Greens 12.8% (2), Freedom Party 6.3% (1); turnout 41.8%
- Belgium (June 13): Christian Democratic and Flemish 16.4% (4 of 24), Flemish Bloc 13.5% (3), French Socialists (PS) 13.4% (4), Flemish Liberals 12.8% (3), Flemish Socialists (sp.a-spirit) 10.4% (3), Reformist Movement 10.4% (3), Democratic Humanist Centre 5.7% (1), Groen! 4.7% (1), Ecolo 3.9% (1); turnout 90.8%
- Cyprus (June 13): Democratic Rally 28.2% (2 of 6), Communist Party 27.9% (2), Democratic Party 17.1% (1), "For Europe" 10.8% (1), Movement of Social Democrats 10.8% (0); turnout 71.2%
- Czech Republic (June 11-12): Civic Democratic Party 30% (9 of 24), Communist Party 20.3% (6), Association of Independents/European Democrats 11% (3), Christian Democratic Union-Czech People's Party 9.6% (2), Czech Social Democratic Party 8.8% (2), independents 8.2% (2); turnout 28.3%
- Denmark (June 13): Social Democrats 32.5% (5 of 14), Venstre 19.4% (3), Conservative People's Party 11.2% (1), June Movement 9% (1), Socialist People's Party 8.1% (1), Danish People's Party 6.8% (1), Radikale Venstre 6.4% (1), People's Movement Against EU 5.2% (1); turnout 47.8%
- Estonia (June 13): Social Democratic Party 36.8% (3 of 6), Centre Party 17.5% (1), Reform Party 12.2% (1), Fatherland Union 10.5% (1); turnout 26.9%
- Finland (June 13): National Coalition Party 23.7% (4 of 14), Centre 23.3% (4), Social Democrats 21.1% (3), Greens 10.4% (1), Left Alliance 9.1% (1), Swedish People's Party 5.7% (1); turnout 41.1%
- France (June 13): Socialist Party 28.9% (31 of 78), Union for a Popular Movement 16.6% (17), Union for French Democracy 12% (11), National Front 9.8% (7), Greens 7.4% (6), Movement for France 6.7% (3), Communist Party 5.3% (2); turnout 43.1%
- Germany (June 13): Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union 44.5% (49 of 99), Social Democratic Party 21.5% (23), Greens 11.9% (13), Party of Democratic Socialism 6.1% (7), Free Democratic Party 6.1% (7); turnout 43%
- Greece (June 13): New Democracy 43.1% (11 of 24), Panhellenic Socialist Movement 34% (8), Communist Party 9.5% (3), Coalition of the Left and Progress 4.2% (1), Populist Orthodox Rally 4.1% (1); turnout 62.8%
- Hungary (June 13): Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Union 47.4% (12 of 24), Hungarian Socialist Party 34.3% (9), Alliance of Free Democrats 7.7% (2), Hungarian Democratic Forum 5.3% (1); turnout 38.5%
- Ireland (June 11): Fianna Fáil 29.5% (4 of 13), Fine Gael 27.8% (5), Sinn Féin 11.1% (1), Labour 10.6% (1), Green Party 4.3% (0), independents 16.7% (2); turnout 59.7%
- Italy (June 12-13): Ulivo coalition 31.1% (25 of 78), Forza Italia 21% (16), National Alliance 11.5% (9), Communist Refoundation 6.1% (5), Christian Democratic Union 5.9% (5), Northern League 5% (4), Green Federation 2.5% (2), Party of Italian Communists 2.4% (2), Bonino List 2.3% (2); turnout 73.1%
- Latvia (June 12): Fatherland and Freedom 29.8% (4 of 9), New Era 19.7% (2), For Human Rights in a United Latvia 10.7% (1), People's Party 6.6% (1), Latvia's Way 6.5% (1); turnout 41.2%
- Lithuania (June 13): Labour Party 30.4% (5 of 13), Social Democratic Party 14.4% (2), Homeland Union 12.4% (2), Liberal and Centre Union 11.2% (2), Union of Farmers and New Democratic Party 7.4% (1), Liberal Democratic Party 6.9% (1); turnout 48.2%
- Luxembourg (June 13): Christian Social People's Party 37.1% (3 of 6), Socialist Workers' Party 22.1% (1), Greens 15% (1), Democratic Party 14.9% (1), Action Committee for Democracy and Pensions Justice 8% (0); turnout 90%
- Malta (June 12): Labour Party 49% (3 of 5), Nationalist Party 40% (2), Democratic Alternative 10% (0); turnout 82.4%
- The Netherlands (June 10): Christian Democratic Appeal 24.4% (7 of 27), Labour Party 23.6% (7), People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 13.2% (4), Green Left 7.4% (2), Europe Transparent 7.3% (2), Socialist Party 7% (2), Christian Union/Political Reformed Party 5.9% (2), Democrats 66 4.2% (1); turnout 39.1%
- Poland (June 13): Civic Platform 24.1% (15 of 54), League of Polish Families 15.9% (10), Law and Justice 12.7% (7), Self-Defense 10.8% (6), Democratic Left Alliance-Labour Union 9.3% (5), Freedom Union 7.3% (4), Polish People's Party 6.3% (4), Social Democracy of Poland 5.3% (3); turnout 20.4%
- Portugal (June 13): Socialist Party 45% (12 of 24), Popular Democratic Party-Social Democratic Party-Democratic Social Centre-Popular Party 34% (9), United Democratic League 9% (2), Left Bloc 5% (1); turnout 38.7%
- Slovakia (June 13): Slovak Democratic and Christian Union 17.1% (3 of 14), People's Party-Movement for a Democratic Slovakia 17.1% (3), Direction 16.9% (3), Christian Democratic Movement 16.2% (3), Party of the Hungarian Coalition 13.2% (2); turnout 17%
- Slovenia (June 13): New Slovenia 23.5% (2 of 7), Slovenian Liberal Democracy 21.9% (2), Slovenian Democratic Party 17.7% (2), United List of Social Democrats 14.2% (1); turnout 28.3%
- Spain (June 13): Socialist Workers' Party 43.3% (25 of 54), Popular Party 41.3% (23), Galeuzca 5.2% (3), United Left 4.2% (2), Europe of the Peoples 2.5% (1); turnout 45.9%
- Sweden (June 13): Social Democrats 24.8% (5 of 19), Moderates 18.2% (4), June List 14.4% (3), Left Party 12.8% (2), Liberal People's Party 9.8% (2), Centre Party 6.3% (1), Greens 5.9% (1), Christian Democrats 5.7% (1); turnout 37.2%
- United Kingdom (June 10): Conservatives 27.4% (27 of 78), Labour 22.3% (19), United Kingdom Independence Party 16.8% (12), Liberal Democrats 15.1% (12), Green Party 6.2% (2), Scottish National Party 3% (2), Plaid Cymru 1.1% (1), Ulster Unionist Party 1% (1), Democratic Unionist Party 1% (1), Sinn Féin 1% (1); turnout 38.9%
Germany: In state elections in Thüringen, the Christian Democratic Union wins 43% of the vote (45 of 88 seats), the Party of Democratic Socialism 26.1% (28), the Social Democratic Party 14.5% (15), the Greens 4.5%, and the Free Democratic Party 3.6%. Turnout is 54%.
Italy: Regional elections are held in Sardegna. The president is elected directly for the first time, and Renato Soru wins 50.1% of the vote, against 40.5% for former president Mauro Pili, 3.8% for Giacomo Sanna, 3.6% for former president Mario Floris, and 1.9% for Gavino Sale. Soru is installed on June 26. In the parliamentary elections, Forza Italia wins 15% of the vote (10 of 85 seats), the Democrats of the Left 13.2% (13), Margherita 10.8% (10), the Christian Democratic Union 10.3% (7), Progetto Sardegna (Plan Sardinia) 7.8% (7), and the National Alliance 7.3% (5).
Lithuania: In the first round of presidential elections, former president Valdas Adamkus wins 30.9% of the vote, former prime minister Kazimiera Prunskiene 21.4%, Petras Austrevicius 19.3%, Vilija Blinkeviciute 16.6%, and Ceslovas Jursenas 11.9%. Turnout is 39.4%. A runoff is held on June 27, and Adamkus wins 52.6% against 47.4% for Prunskiene. Turnout is 52.4%. Adamkus is to be inaugurated on July 12.
Luxembourg: In parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker's Christian Social People's Party wins 36.1% of the vote (24 of 60 seats), the Socialist Workers' Party 23.4% (14), the Democratic Party 16.1% (10), the Greens 11.6% (7), and the Action Committee for Democracy and Pensions Justice 10% (5). Turnout is 91.7%.
Malawi: President Bingu wa Mutharika names his cabinet (sworn in on June 16): Cassim Chilumpha becomes vice president, George Chaponda foreign minister, Mutharika himself defense minister, Uladi Mussa home affairs minister, and Goodall Gondwe finance minister.
Romania: Interior Minister Ioan Rus resigns. On June 15 Marian Florian Saniuta is sworn in as new interior minister.
Serbia and Montenegro: In the first round of presidential elections in Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic wins 30.4%, Boris Tadic 27.6%, Bogoljub Karic 18.2%, and Dragan Marsicanin 13.3%. Turnout is 47.6%. A runoff is held on June 27 and won by Tadic with 53.2%, against 45.4% for Nikolic. Turnout is 48.7%.
14
 Temaru |
French Polynesia: Oscar Temaru is elected president. Émile Vanfasse becomes finance minister on June 16.
15
Georgia: The foreign minister of Abkhazia, Sergey Shamba, resigns.
Organization of the Islamic Conference: Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu of Turkey is elected as the new secretary-general, to take office Jan. 1, 2005.
 Gasparovic |
Slovakia: Ivan Gasparovic takes office as president.
Solomon Islands: Parliament elects Nathaniel Waena governor-general, with 27 votes in the second ballot against 8 for Sir Peter Kenilorea and 6 for incumbent Sir John Lapli. Waena is to take office July 7.
16
 Bhatia |
India: Balram Jakhar is appointed governor of Madhya Pradesh and Raghunandan Lal Bhatia governor of Kerala. Bhatia is sworn in on June 23 and Jakhar on June 30.
Thailand: Former prime minister (1958, 1963-73) Thanom Kittikachorn dies.
18
Kazakhstan: Former chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh S.S.R. (1985-88) Salamat Mukashev dies.
20
Australia: Former premier of Tasmania (1998-2004) Jim Bacon dies.
Georgia: In regional elections in Ajaria, the Mikheil Saakashvili-Victorious Ajaria bloc wins 72.1% of the votes (28 of 30 seats) against 13.5% (2) for the Republican Party.
21
Brazil: Former governor of Rio Grande do Sul (1959-63) and Rio de Janeiro (1983-87, 1991-94) Leonel Brizola dies.
United States: Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland resigns, effective July 1.
22
Council of Europe: Terry Davis (United Kingdom) is elected secretary-general with 157 votes, against 91 for Walter Schwimmer (Austria) and 51 for Kristiina Ojuland (Estonia). Davis is to take office September 1.
Guam: Former governor (1949-53) Carlton S. Skinner dies.
Nauru: President René Harris is toppled in a no-confidence vote and Ludwig Scotty is elected president. David Adeang is named foreign minister, while Kinza Clodumar remains as finance minister.
24
Argentina: Former acting president (1981) Carlos Alberto Lacoste dies.
Indonesia: Ismeth Abdullah is appointed acting governor of the new province of Kepulauan Riau.
Slovenia: Prime Minister Anton Rop proposes to parliament the dismissal of his foreign minister, Dimitrij Rupel.
25
Suriname: Former acting president (1982-88) L.F. Ramdat Misier dies.
26
Czech Republic: Prime Minister Vladimír Spidla announces his resignation.
Iceland: In presidential elections, incumbent Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson wins 85.6% of the vote, Baldur Ágústsson 12.5%, and Ástthór Magnússon 1.9%. Turnout is 62.6%.
 Hussain |
Pakistan: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali resigns. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is named as new prime minister. He is elected by the National Assembly on June 29, with 190 votes against 76 for Makhdoom Amin Fahim, and is sworn in on June 30.
Saint Lucia: Sir George Charles, former chief minister (1960-64), dies.
27
Mongolia: In parliamentary elections, the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party wins 37 of 76 seats, the Motherland Democratic Coalition 35, the Republican Party 1, and independents 3. Turnout is 77%.
28
Canada: In parliamentary elections, the ruling Liberal Party wins 36.7% of the vote (135 of 308 seats), the Conservative Party 29.6% (99), the New Democratic Party 15.7% (19), the Bloc Québécois 12.4% (54), the Green Party 4.3% (0), and independents 0.4% (1). Turnout is 60.5%.
Serbia and Montenegro: Former president of the Presidium of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (1988-89) Stipe Suvar dies.
Solomon Islands: In a cabinet reshuffle, Nelson Kile becomes home affairs minister.
29
Bosnia and Herzegovina: High Representative Paddy Ashdown removes Zoran Djeric, interior minister of the Republika Srpska, from office.
Papua New Guinea: Sir Paulias Matane is sworn in as governor-general.
30
Canada: John Harvard is installed as lieutenant governor of Manitoba.
Kenya: In a cabinet reshuffle, Chirau Ali Mwakwere is named as new foreign minister.
Philippines: Noli de Castro takes office as vice president.