February 2006

1

Hanna

The Bahamas: Arthur Dion Hanna is sworn in as governor-general.
Italy: Former president of Liguria (1983-90) Rinaldo Magnani dies.
Kenya: Finance Minister David Mwiraria resigns. Henry Obwocha is named acting finance minister on February 2. On February 14 Amos Kimunya is appointed finance minister.

Fedor

Slovakia: Martin Fedor is appointed defense minister.
Switzerland: Barbara Schneider becomes president of the government of Basel-Stadt.
Switzerland: Former president of the Council of State of Genève (1991-92, 1996-97) Jean-Philippe Maitre dies.
United States: Former Arizona governor (1965-67) Sam Goddard dies.

2

Bangladesh: Former prime minister (1986-88) Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury dies.
Canada: Former lieutenant governor of Saskatchewan (1970-76) Stephen Worobetz dies.
Liberia: Antoinette Sayeh is confirmed by the Senate as finance minister. She and George Wallace (confirmed as foreign minister in the same week) now await their official appointment. Wallace and Othello Warrick (defense) were previously appointed acting ministers. Brownie J. Samukai is confirmed as defense minister later in the month and takes office on February 24. Ambullai Johnson is confirmed as internal affairs minister in late February.

3

India: H.D. Kumaraswamy is sworn in as chief minister of Karnataka. His cabinet wins a confidence vote (138-66) on February 8.

4

Angola: Interior Minister Osvaldo Serra Van-Dúnem dies. On February 24 Roberto Leal Monteiro is appointed interior minister.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Milorad Dodik is asked to form a new government in the Republika Srpska. On February 28 the parliament confirms Dodik (46-5) and his government (45-8), which includes Aleksandar Dzombic as finance minister and Stanislav Cadjo as interior minister.

5

Costa Rica: In presidential elections, former president Óscar Arias Sánchez of the National Liberation Party (PLN) wins 40.9% of the vote, Ottón Solís of the Citizens' Action Party (PAC) 39.8%, Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement (ML) 8.5%, and Ricardo Toledo of the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) 3.6%. Turnout is 65.4%. Arias is to take office on May 8. In the parliamentary elections, the PLN wins 36.4% of the votes (25 of 57 seats), the PAC 25.8% (17), the ML 9.1% (6), and the PUSC 7.6% (5). Turnout is 65.1%.
Lebanon: Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa resigns. Ahmad Fatfat is named acting interior minister.
Philippines: Ronaldo Puno is appointed to succeed Angelo Reyes as interior secretary in a cabinet reshuffle.

6

Harper

MacKay

Canada: Stephen Harper is sworn in as prime minister with his cabinet, including Peter MacKay as foreign minister, Gordon O'Connor as defense minister, and Jim Flaherty as finance minister.

7

Haiti: In presidential elections, former president René Préval wins 51.2% of the vote, former president Leslie Manigat 12.4%, and Charles Henry Baker 8.2%. Préval is to take office May 14. The first round of parliamentary elections is also held.
Kuwait: Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jabir Al Sabah nominates his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jabir Al Sabah, the current interior minister, as crown prince and appoints his half-nephew Sheikh Nasser Muhammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah as prime minister. On February 9 Defense Minister Sheikh Jabir Mubarak Al Sabah is also given the interior portfolio. The new cabinet is sworn in on February 11. On February 20 the parliament unanimously approves Nawaf as crown prince.

Pado

Slovakia: The ministers of the Christian Democratic Movement, including Interior Minister Vladimír Palko, resign. On February 8 Martin Pado is appointed interior minister.

8

Malawi: President Bingu wa Mutharika sacks his vice president, Cassim Chilumpha. On February 10 the High Court grants Chilumpha an injunction to prevent his dismissal until its constitutionality is established.
Pitcairn Island: George Fergusson is appointed governor, to take office in April.

9

Nahayan

United Arab Emirates: In a cabinet reshuffle, Sheikh Abdullah ibn Zaid Al Nahayan becomes foreign minister. Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad ibn Rashid Al Maktum remains his own defense minister.

10

Sejdiu

Serbia and Montenegro: Fatmir Sejdiu is elected president of Kosovo in an 80-12 vote in parliament.

11

Muallem

Syria: Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa is appointed as vice president. Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Muallem becomes foreign minister and Bassam Abdelmajid interior minister.
Yemen: In a cabinet reshuffle, Muhammad Nasir Ahmad Ali becomes defense minister and Saif Mahyoub al-Asali finance minister.

12

Cape Verde: In presidential elections, incumbent Pedro Pires wins 51% of the vote and former prime minister Carlos Veiga 49%. Turnout is 53%.

13

France: René Souchon is elected president of the Regional Council of Auvergne.

Sevele

Tonga: It is announced that on February 11 the resignation of Prime Minister Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata was accepted and Feleti Sevele was appointed acting prime minister.

Bakoyannis

14

Greece: In a cabinet reshuffle, Dora Bakoyannis is named foreign minister and Evangelos Meimarakis defense minister. They are sworn in on February 15.
Malaysia: Dato' Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad is appointed as home affairs minister.

15

Dohou

Benin: Foreign Minister Rogatien Biaou is dismissed. Frédéric Dohou is named acting foreign minister.

Hall

Jamaica: Kenneth Hall is sworn in as governor-general.
Morocco: Chakib Benmoussa is appointed interior minister.
Serbia and Montenegro: Former foreign minister of Yugoslavia (1978-82) and secretary of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Croatia (1983-84) Josip Vrhovec dies.
Taiwan: Former premier (1978-84) Sun Yun-suan dies.

16

Aliyev

Russia: The chairman of the State Council of Dagestan, Magomedali Magomedov, announces his resignation. On February 20 the People's Assembly (parliament) of Dagestan confirms the resignation (85-11 with 2 abstentions), Russian President Vladimir Putin nominates People's Assembly speaker Mukhu Aliyev as president of Dagestan (a position established by the new constitution of the republic), and Aliyev is confirmed by the People's Assembly (101-1 with 3 abstentions) and sworn in.

18

Barbados: In a cabinet reshuffle, Dale Marshall becomes home affairs minister.
The Sudan: Former prime minister (1964-65) Sirr al-Khatim al-Khalifa dies.

21

Palestine: President Mahmoud Abbas asks Ismail Haniya to form a government.
Serbia and Montenegro: Former prime minister of Serbia (1994-2000) Mirko Marjanovic dies.

22

Comoros: Former president (1989-95, 1996) Said Mohamed Djohar dies.
Luxembourg: Jean-Louis Schiltz becomes defense minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Singapore: Former foreign minister (1965-80) Sinnathamby Rajaratnam dies.

23

Bangladesh: Former foreign minister (1977-82) Mohammad Shamsul Huq dies.
Swaziland: Moses Mathendele Dlamini becomes foreign minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Uganda: In presidential elections, incumbent Yoweri Museveni (National Resistance Movement) wins 59.3% of the vote and Kizza Besigye (Forum for Democratic Change) 37.4%. Turnout is 68.6%.

24

Canada: Rodney MacDonald is sworn in as premier of Nova Scotia.
Chile: Former foreign minister (1961-63) Carlos Martínez Sotomayor dies.
San Marino: Former captain-regent (1979-80, 1984-85) Giuseppe Amici dies.

25

Cape Verde: Former governor (1963-69) Leão do Sacramento Monteiro dies.

26

Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates incumbent Sergey Katanandov as head of the republic of Karelia.

27

Comoros: Vice President Caabi El-Yachroutu resigns.

28

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sulejman Tihic becomes chairman of the Presidency.
Russia: The prime minister of Chechnya, Sergey Abramov, resigns.