May 2010

1

Switzerland: Jean-Michel Cina becomes president of the Council of State of Valais and Hans Hollenstein president of the government of Zürich.

2

Switzerland: Robert Marti is elected Landammann of Glarus.

3

Martonyi

Hungary: Prime minister-designate Viktor Orbán names his new cabinet with János Martonyi as foreign minister, Csaba Hende as defense minister, György Matolcsy as economy minister, and Sándor Pintér as interior minister. On May 29 the government is approved by parliament (261-107) and sworn in.
United States: Mitch Landrieu is sworn in as mayor of New Orleans.

4

Russia: Oleg Kichikov is approved as prime minister of Kalmykia by the local legislature.

5

Indonesia: Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati announces her resignation. On May 19 Agus Martowardojo is named as new finance minister; he is sworn in on May 20.
Mauritius: In parliamentary elections, the Alliance of the Future led by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam wins 41 of 62 seats and the Alliance of the Heart 18. On May 11 the new cabinet is sworn in with Pravind Jugnauth as finance minister, while Arvin Boolell continues to be foreign minister and Ramgoolam to hold the defense and home affairs portfolios.

Jonathan

Nigeria: President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua dies. Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, who has already been acting president since February, is sworn in as president on May 6. On May 12 Namadi Sambo, the governor of Kaduna, is appointed vice president; he is approved by parliament on May 18 and sworn in on May 19. On May 20 Deputy Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa is sworn in as governor of Kaduna.
Togo: Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo's government resigns. Houngbo is reappointed as prime minister on May 7. On May 28 a new government is named with Elliott Ohin as foreign minister; Col. Atcha Titikpina remains security minister and Adji Otèth Ayassor finance minister.

6

Cameron

Hague

United Kingdom: In parliamentary elections (including a delayed election in one constituency on May 27), the Conservative Party wins 36.1% of the vote (307 of 650 seats), Labour 29% (258), the Liberal Democrats 23% (57), the United Kingdom Independence Party 3.1% (0), the British National Party 1.9% (0), the Scottish National Party 1.7% (6), the Green Party 1% (1), Sinn Féin 0.6% (5), the Democratic Unionist Party 0.6% (8), Plaid Cymru 0.6% (3), and the Social Democratic and Labour Party 0.4% (3). Turnout is 65.1%. On May 11 Prime Minister Gordon Brown resigns and Conservative leader David Cameron is appointed prime minister. William Hague is named foreign secretary, Liam Fox defence secretary, and George Osborne chancellor of the exchequer. On May 12 they are officially appointed, along with Theresa May as home secretary.

7

United States: Former governor of Alaska (1966-69, 1990-94) and secretary of the interior (1969-70) Walter J. Hickel dies.

8

Chinchilla

Castro

Costa Rica: Laura Chinchilla is sworn in as president. René Castro becomes foreign minister, José María Tijerino public security minister, and Fernando Herrero finance minister.

9

Austria: Former Landeshauptmann of Burgenland (1966-87) Theodor Kery dies.
Germany: In state elections in Nordrhein-Westfalen, the Christian Democratic Union wins 34.6% of the vote (67 of 181 seats), the Social Democratic Party 34.5% (67), the Greens 12.1% (23), the Free Democratic Party 6.7% (13), and the Left 5.6% (11). Turnout is 59.3%.

10

Küçük

Cyprus: The president of North Cyprus, Dervis Eroglu, asks Irsen Küçük to form a new government. Eroglu approves Küçük's government on May 17; key ministries are unchanged.
Philippines: In presidential elections, Benigno Aquino III wins 42.1% of the vote, former president Joseph Estrada 26.3%, Manuel Villar 15.4%, and Gilberto Teodoro 11.3%. In the vice presidential vote, Jejomar Binay wins 41.6%, Mar Roxas 39.6%, and Loren Legarda 12.2%.

11

Ethell

Tuccaro

Canada: Donald Ethell is sworn in as lieutenant governor of Alberta.
Canada: George L. Tuccaro is appointed commissioner of the Northwest Territories. He is sworn in on May 28.

12

Elias

Canada: Edna Elias is appointed commissioner of Nunavut. She is sworn in on May 31.

14

Japan: Former governor of Tokyo (1979-95) Shunichi Suzuki dies.

15

India: Former chief minister of Rajasthan (1977-80, 1990-92, 1993-98) Bhairon Singh Shekhawat dies.
Russia: President Dmitry Medvedev nominates Vasily Golubev as governor of Rostov oblast and Yury Berg as governor of Orenburg oblast. The local assemblies confirm Golubev (43-5) on May 21 and Berg (36-10) on May 22.

16

Dominican Republic: In parliamentary elections, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) wins 54.6% of the vote and 105 of 183 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) 41.9% (75). In the Senate, the PLD wins 31 of 32 seats and the PRD 1. Turnout is about 58%.
Honduras: Former head of state (1963-71, 1972-75) Oswaldo López Arellano dies.
Somalia: Parliament votes (280-30) no confidence in the cabinet of Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. On May 17, President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed announces that he will appoint a new prime minister, but on May 18 Sharmarke refuses to resign and on May 20 the president orders the government to continue its duties.

19

Kyrgyzstan: Roza Otunbayeva is appointed president of the republic for the period ending Dec. 31, 2011, by decree of the provisional government.
Zambia: Mukondo Lungu is appointed home affairs minister.

21

Canada: Former lieutenant governor of British Columbia (1983-88) Robert Gordon Rogers dies.
The Sudan: Former member of the Committee of Sovereignty (1964-65) Luigi Adwok dies.

23

Azerbaijan: In parliamentary elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, Free Motherland wins 46.4% of the vote (14 of 33 seats), the Democratic Party of Artsakh 28.6% (6), and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation 20.2% (6). Turnout is 67.8%.
Ethiopia: In parliamentary elections, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front wins 499 of 547 seats and the Somali People's Democratic Party 24. Turnout is 93.4%.

24

Madagascar: In a cabinet reshuffle, Gen. André Lucien Rakotoarimasy is named armed forces minister and Jean interior minister.
Papua New Guinea: In presidential elections in Bougainville held May 7-21, John Momis (New Bougainville Party) wins 52.4% of the vote and incumbent James Tanis 20.9%. In the parliamentary elections, independents win 23 of 40 seats and the New Bougainville Party 14.

Persad-Bissessar

Rambachan

Trinidad and Tobago: In parliamentary elections, the People's Partnership coalition wins 42.9% of the vote (29 of 41 seats) and the People's National Movement 39.6% (12). Turnout is 69.4%. On May 26 Kamla Persad-Bissessar is sworn in as prime minister. On May 28 her government is named and sworn in, including Surujrattan Rambachan as foreign minister, Brig. John Sandy as national security minister, and Winston Dookeran as finance minister.

25

Central African Republic: The Constitutional Court decides that President François Bozizé can stay in office after the end of his term (June 11) and until the organization of new presidential elections.
Germany: The minister-president of Hessen, Roland Koch, announces his resignation effective August 31.
Italy: Former Landeshauptmann of Bozen-Südtirol (1960-89) Silvius Magnago dies.
Suriname: In parliamentary elections, the Mega Combination Coalition wins 23 of 51 seats, the New Front for Democracy and Development 14, Combination A 7, the People's Alliance for Progress 6, and the Party for Democracy and Development through Unity 1.

26

Comoros: An interim government is appointed on the day that President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi's regular term expires. The Constitutional Court earlier in the month annulled a law extending his term, but decreed that he should stay in office with limited prerogatives pending new elections. Fahmi Said Ibrahim becomes foreign minister, Ibrahima Mhoumadi Sidi defense and interior minister, and Mohamed Bacar Dossar finance minister.
Indonesia: In gubernatorial elections in Kepulauan Riau, Muhammad Sani wins 37.3% of the vote, Nyat Kadir 31.5%, and Aida Zulaikha Ismeth 31.2%.

27

Montserrat: Adrian Davis is named as the next governor, to take office in April 2011.

28

Algeria: In a cabinet reshuffle, Dahou Ould Kablia is appointed interior minister.

29

Brunei: In a cabinet reshuffle, Pehin Dato Haji Badaruddin bin Haji Othman becomes minister of home affairs.
Czech Republic: In parliamentary elections held May 28-29, the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) wins 22.1% of the vote (56 of 200 seats), the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) 20.2% (53), Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 (TOP 09) 16.7% (41), the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) 11.3% (26), and Public Affairs (VV) 10.9% (24). Turnout is 62.6%.

30

Austria: In state elections in Burgenland, the Social Democratic Party wins 48.3% of the vote (18 of 36 seats), the Austrian People's Party 34.6% (13), the Freedom Party 9% (3), the Greens 4.1% (1), and the Burgenland List 4% (1). Turnout is 77.3%.
Canada: Former premier of Manitoba (1958-67) Dufferin Roblin dies.
Colombia: In presidential elections, Juan Manuel Santos (Party of the U) wins 47.3% of the vote, Antanas Mockus (Green Party) 21.8%, Germán Vargas Lleras (Radical Change) 10.3%, Gustavo Petro (Alternative Democratic Pole) 9.3%, Noemí Sanín (Conservative Party) 6.2%, and Rafael Pardo (Liberal Party) 4.5%. Turnout is about 49%. A runoff is to be held on June 20.
India: The chief minister of Jharkhand, Shibu Soren, resigns.
The Sudan: President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir dissolves the cabinet but asks Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein to stay in office.

31

Böhrnsen

Germany: President Horst Köhler resigns. The president of the Bundesrat, Jens Böhrnsen, becomes acting president.
Papua New Guinea: The Supreme Court suspends from office (with immediate effect) Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch.
Russia: President Dmitry Medvedev accepts the resignation of the president of Sakha, Vyacheslav Shtyrov, and appoints the prime minister of the republic, Yegor Borisov, as acting president.