October 2005

1

Guinea-Bissau: João Bernardo Vieira is sworn in as president.
Indonesia: In the runoff election in Bengkulu, Agusrin M. Najamudin is elected governor with 54.2% of the vote, defeating Muslihan (45.8%).
Inter-American Development Bank: Luis Alberto Moreno takes office as president.

Muccioli

San Marino: Claudio Muccioli (Christian Democrat) and Antonello Bacciocchi (Socialist) take office as captains-regent.

2

Argentina: In gubernatorial elections in Corrientes, Arturo Colombi of the Frente de Todos (Radical Civic Union and Justicialist Party) wins 60.6% of the vote and Carlos Rubin of Unidos por Corrientes (Autonomist, Liberal, and New Party) 32.4%.
Austria: In elections in Steiermark, the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) wins 41.7% of the vote (25 of 56 seats), the Austrian People's Party 38.7% (24), the Communist Party 6.3% (4), the Greens 4.7% (3), and the Freedom Party 4.6% (0). Turnout is 76.2%. Franz Voves (SPÖ) is elected as Landeshauptmann on October 25.
Congo (Brazzaville): In indirect elections to 30 of 66 seats in the Senate, the Congolese Labour Party wins 23.

3

Jersey: Former bailiff (1986-95) Sir Peter Crill dies.
Switzerland: Former Landammann of Sankt Gallen (1963-64, 1970-71, 1977-78) Gottfried Hoby dies.

4

Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates Oleg Chirkunov as governor of the new Perm kray, which is to be established December 1 by the merger of Perm oblast and Komi-Permyak autonomous okrug. On October 10 Chirkunov is confirmed by the legislative assemblies of Perm oblast (34-3) and Komi-Permyak autonomous okrug (15-0).
United States: Former Wyoming governor (1967-75) Stanley K. Hathaway dies.
United States: Martin Chavez (Democrat) is reelected as mayor of Albuquerque with 47.1% of the vote, defeating Eric Griego (Republican) with 25.8% and Brad Winter (Democrat) with 25%. Turnout is 31%.

6

Belgium: Elio Di Rupo is sworn in as minister-president of Wallonia.

7

Estonia: Jürgen Ligi is appointed defense minister. He takes office October 10.
Serbia and Montenegro: President Svetozar Marovic nominates Zoran Stankovic as new defense minister. He is elected in parliament on October 21 (72-37).

9

Austria: In elections in Burgenland, the Social Democratic Party wins 52.2% of the vote (19 of 36 seats), the Austrian People's Party 36.4% (13), the Freedom Party 5.8% (2), and the Greens 5.2% (2). Turnout is 81.4%.
Poland: In the first round of presidential elections, Donald Tusk wins 36.3% of the vote, Lech Kaczynski 33.1%, Andrzej Lepper 15.1%, and Marek Borowski 10.3%. Turnout is 49.7%. A runoff is held October 23, Kaczynski winning 54% and Tusk 46%. Turnout is 51%. Kaczynski is to be sworn in on December 23.

10

Ecuador: Francisco Carrión takes office as foreign minister.
Indonesia: The governor of Banten, Djoko Munandar, is suspended and Deputy Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah appointed acting governor; she takes over October 20.
Nicaragua: Alfredo Gómez is elected (83-0) as new vice president by the National Assembly. He is then sworn in.
Uganda: Former prime minister (1962-66) and president (1966-71, 1980-85) Milton Obote dies.

11

Ethiopia: A new cabinet is appointed. Kuma Demeksa becomes defense minister.
Liberia: In presidential elections, George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) wins 28.3% of the vote, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of the Unity Party (UP) 19.8%, Charles Brumskine of the Liberty Party (LP) 13.9%, Winston Tubman of the National Democratic Party of Liberia 9.2%, and Varney Sherman of the Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia (COTOL) 7.8%. Turnout is 74.8%. A runoff is to be held November 8. In the elections to the House of Representatives, the CDC wins 15 of 64 seats, the LP 9, the UP 8, COTOL 8, the Alliance for Peace and Democracy (APD) 5, and the National Patriotic Party (NPP) 4; in the Senate, COTOL wins 7 of 30 seats, the NPP 4, the CDC 3, the LP 3, the UP 3, and the APD 3.

12

Ecuador: Interior Minister Oswaldo Molestina resigns. Galo Chiriboga becomes interim interior minister.
Fiji: Former governor (1968-70) and governor-general (1970-73) Sir Robert Sidney Foster (also high commissioner for the Western Pacific, 1964-68) dies.
Moldova: Mihail Pop replaces Zinaida Greceanîi as finance minister.
Syria: Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan commits suicide.

14

British Virgin Islands: Former governor (1974-78) Walter Wilkinson Wallace dies.
Kazakhstan: Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov is appointed interior minister.

15

Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates incumbent Roman Abramovich as governor of Chukotka autonomous okrug. He is confirmed by the local Duma (11-0) on October 21.

17

Austria: Former Landeshauptmann of Oberösterreich (1971-77) Erwin Wenzl dies.

Haddacks

Isle of Man: Sir Paul Haddacks is sworn in as lieutenant governor.

Støre

Norway: The new government of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is named. It includes Jonas Gahr Støre as foreign minister, Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen as defense minister, and Kristin Halvorsen as finance minister.

18

Guernsey: Sir Fabian Malbon is sworn in as lieutenant governor.

19

Armenia: Former chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian S.S.R. (1985-90) Grant Voskanyan dies.
Bolivia: Former president (1969) Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas dies.

Bezhuashvili

Georgia: Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli announces the firing of Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili. The following day Nogaideli names Gela Bezhuashvili as new foreign minister.
India: Former chief minister of Nagaland (1975, 1980-82) John Bosco Jasokie dies.
Jersey: In senatorial elections, independents win 82.4% of the votes and all 6 seats; the Centre Party wins 9.1% and the Jersey Democratic Alliance 8.5%. Turnout is 35.3%.
Latvia: Interior Minister Eriks Jekabsons announces his resignation, effective October 21. Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis temporarily takes over the portfolio.

Peters

New Zealand: Prime Minister Helen Clark's new government is installed, including Winston Peters as foreign minister, Phil Goff as defense minister, and Rick Barker as internal affairs minister; Michael Cullen remains finance minister.

Marcinkiewicz

Meller

Poland: Prime Minister Marek Belka resigns and President Aleksander Kwasniewski asks Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz to form a new government. On October 31 Marcinkiewicz is sworn in as prime minister, with a cabinet including Stefan Meller as foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski as defense minister, Teresa Lubinska as finance minister, and Ludwik Dorn as interior minister.
Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov as head of the republic of Kalmykia. He is confirmed by the local parliament (22-1 with 1 abstention) on October 24.

21

Indonesia: Oentarto Sindung Mawardi is replaced as acting governor of Sulawesi Barat by Syamsul Arief Bulu.

22

North Korea: Former premier (1988-92) Yon Hyong Muk dies.
Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates incumbent Aleksandr Chernogorov as governor of Stavropol kray. He is confirmed by the local Duma (23-0) on October 31.

23

Argentina: In elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the Front for Victory (FV) wins 29.9% of the vote (50 of 127 contested seats), the Radical Civic Union (UCR) 8.9% (10), the Alternative for a Republic of Equals 7.2% (8), the Justicialist Party 6.7% (9), the Republican Initiative Alliance 6.2% (9), and the Justicialist Front (FJ) 3.9% (7). Turnout is 70.9%. In the Senate, the FV wins 45.1% of the vote (14 of 24 contested seats), the FJ 17.2% (3), and the UCR 7.5% (2). Turnout is 72.3%.
Austria: In elections in Wien, the Social Democratic Party wins 49.1% of the vote (55 of 100 seats), the Austrian People's Party 18.8% (18), the Freedom Party 14.8% (13), and the Greens 14.6% (14). Turnout is 60.8%.

24

Bajo

The Gambia: Lamin Kaba Bajo is appointed foreign minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Honduras: Former president (1986-90) José Azcona Hoyo dies.

25

Serbia and Montenegro: Jusuf Kalamperovic is appointed interior minister of Montenegro.

28

Cayman Islands: Governor Bruce Dinwiddy departs. Chief Secretary George McCarthy becomes acting governor.
Guinea-Bissau: President João Bernardo Vieira dismisses the government of Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Júnior.

29

India: Former chief minister of Manipur (1947-49) M.K. Priyobrata Singh dies.
The Netherlands: Former queen's commissioner of Overijssel (1972-88) Jan Niers dies.
Russia: Former president of Kabardino-Balkariya (1992-2005) Valery Kokov dies.

30

Tanzania: In presidential elections in Zanzibar, incumbent Amani Abeid Karume of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) wins 53.2% of the vote and Seif Sharif Hamad of the Civic United Front (CUF) 46.1%. Turnout is 90.8%. In the parliamentary elections, the CCM wins 30 of 50 elected seats and the CUF 19.

31

Australia: John Sanderson retires as governor of Western Australia. Lieutenant Governor David Malcolm becomes acting governor.

Aso

Japan: In a cabinet reshuffle, Taro Aso is appointed foreign minister, Fukushiro Nukaga defense minister, and Heizo Takenaka internal affairs minister; Sadakazu Tanigaka is retained as finance minister.