August 2014

1

Duncan

British Virgin Islands: Governor Boyd McCleary departs. Deputy Governor V. Inez Archibald becomes acting governor until John Duncan is sworn in as governor on August 15.

3

Pakistan: Former governor of Balochistan (1997-99) and North-West Frontier Province (1999) Miangul Aurangzeb dies.

4

Baira

Issa

Libya: The new House of Representatives convenes (in Tobruk, due to fighting between various militant groups going on in both Tripoli and Benghazi), presided by Abu Bakr Baira. Early on August 5 Akila Saleh Issa is elected as its president, defeating Baira in a second round of voting by 77 votes to 74. Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani's cabinet resigns on August 28. Meanwhile, the previous parliament, the General National Congress, reconvened unilaterally (in Tripoli) on August 25 and elected Omar al-Hassi as prime minister.
Serbia: Dusan Vujovic is elected as finance minister.

5

Bliznashki

Mitov

Bulgaria: A caretaker government is named (taking office August 6) with Georgi Bliznashki as prime minister, Daniel Mitov as foreign minister, Velizar Shalamanov as defense minister, Yordan Bakalov as interior minister, and Rumen Porozhanov as finance minister.

Kamoun

Central African Republic: Prime Minister André Nzapayéké resigns. On August 10 Mahamat Kamoun is named prime minister (taking office August 14). In the new government named August 22, Aristide Sokambi becomes defense minister, Thierry-Marie Métinkoué security minister, and Bounandélé Koumba finance minister; Toussaint Kongo-Doudou remains foreign minister.
India: The governor of Uttar Pradesh, Ram Naik, receives the additional charge of Rajasthan (sworn in August 8) as Margaret Alva completes her term as governor, and the governor of Gujarat, Om Prakash Kohli, receives the additional charge (previously held by Alva) of Goa (sworn in August 7).
Switzerland: Former president of the Council of State of Genève (1979-80) Guy Fontanet dies.

6

India: The governor of Mizoram, Kamla Beniwal, is dismissed and the governor of Manipur, Vinod Kumar Duggal, given the additional charge of Mizoram (sworn in August 8).

7

Barbados: Former acting governor-general (1995-96) Sir Denys Williams dies.

8

Serbia: Former chairman of the Provincial Committee of the League of Communists of Vojvodina (1985-88) Djordje Stojsic dies.

9

Nigeria: In gubernatorial elections in Osun, incumbent Rauf Aregbesola (All Progressives Congress) wins 57.4% of the vote and Iyiola Omisore (People's Democratic Party) 42.6%.

10

Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Nagano, incumbent Shuichi Abe wins 84.2% of the vote and Shumpo Noguchi 14.3%. Turnout is 43.6%.
Syria: President Bashar al-Assad asks Prime Minister Wael al-Halki to form a new government. It is formed on August 27 with no change in key posts.

Çavusoglu

Turkey: In (the first direct) presidential elections, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins 51.8% of the vote, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu 38.4%, and Selahattin Demirtas 9.8%. Turnout is 74.1%. Erdogan is sworn in on August 28 and names Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as acting prime minister, asking him to form a government. The new cabinet announced on August 29 includes Mevlüt Çavusoglu as foreign minister, other key posts being unchanged.

11

Iraq: President Fuad Masum asks Haider al-Abadi to form a government.

12

Lebanon: The 10th attempt to elect a president fails for lack of a quorum, the vote being postponed to September 2.

13

Williams

Antigua and Barbuda: Governor-General Dame Louise Lake-Tack leaves office. On August 14 Rodney Williams is sworn in as governor-general.
Brazil: Former governor of Pernambuco (2007-14) Eduardo Henrique Accioly Campos dies in a plane crash.

14

Martinique: Former president of the Regional Council (1992-98) Émile Capgras dies.

15

Pitcairn Island: Jonathan Sinclair is sworn in as governor.

16

Kenya: Former foreign minister (1969-74) Njoroge Mungai dies.
Nigeria: Former administrator of Kebbi (1991-92) Patrick Aziza dies.

17

São Tomé and Príncipe: Former governor (1974) and high commissioner (1974-75) António Elísio Capelo Pires Veloso dies.

18

Bouvier

New Caledonia: Vincent Bouvier takes office as high commissioner.

19

Slovenia: President Borut Pahor nominates Miro Cerar as prime minister. He is endorsed by the National Assembly (57-11) on August 25.

20

Benin: In a cabinet reshuffle, Théophile Yarou becomes defense minister, Simplice Dossou Codjo interior minister, and Komi Koutché finance minister.
Iraq: The Kurdish ministers including Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari rejoin the government.

Hademine

Mauritania: Yahya Ould Hademine is named prime minister. In the government named on August 21, Diallo Mamadou Bathia becomes defense minister, other key posts remaining unchanged.

21

Ireland: Former prime minister (1992-94) Albert Reynolds dies.
Thailand: The (junta-appointed) National Legislative Assembly votes 191-0 to nominate junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister. On August 25 he is endorsed by the king and takes office. On August 30 (effective August 31) the king endorses the new cabinet, including Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan as defense minister, Gen. Anupong Paochinda as interior minister, and Sommai Phasee as finance minister; Gen. Thanasak Patimaprakorn remains foreign minister.

22

Bonaire: Edison Rijna takes office as administrator.

23

Finland: Former governor of Oulu (1986-91) Ahti Pekkala dies.

24

Georgia: In presidential elections in Abkhazia, Raul Khadjimba wins 50.6% of the vote and Aslan Bzhania 35.9%.

Rao

Sinha

India: The governor of Maharashtra, K. Sankaranarayanan, is transferred to Mizoram (but resigns in protest) and the governor of Gujarat, Om Prakash Kohli, is given additional charge of Maharashtra (sworn in same day). On August 26 C. Vidyasagar Rao is appointed as governor of Maharashtra (sworn in August 30), Kalyan Singh as governor of Rajasthan, Vajubhai Vala as governor of Karnataka, and Mridula Sinha as governor of Goa (sworn in August 31).

25

Australia: Kerry Sanderson is named as next governor of Western Australia, to take office October 20.
France: Prime Minister Manuel Valls resigns. President François Hollande asks him to form a new government. This is named on August 26 with no change in the key posts.
The Gambia: In a cabinet reshuffle, Bala Garba Jahumpa is appointed foreign minister.

26

Austria: Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger resigns.
France: The president of the Regional Council of Languedoc-Roussillon, Christian Bourquin, dies. Robert Navarro becomes acting president.
Germany: The governing mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, announces his resignation effective December 11.
India: The governor of Kerala, Sheila Dikshit, resigns.
Mexico: Former governor of Colima (1991-97) Carlos de la Madrid Virgen dies.
Peru: Prime Minister Ana Jara wins a confidence vote in Congress (55-54), after two previous failed attempts on August 21 and 22.
Saint Helena: Marc Holland is sworn in as administrator of Ascension.

27

India: The governor of Manipur and Mizoram, Vinod Kumar Duggal, resigns.
Martinique: Fabrice Rigoulet-Roze takes office as prefect.
Tokelau: Former administrator (1975-84) Frank Henry Corner dies.

28

Serbia: Former chairman of the Provincial Committee of the League of Communists of Vojvodina (1966-69) and foreign minister of Yugoslavia (1969-72) Mirko Tepavac dies.

29

Sint Maarten: In parliamentary elections, the United People's Party wins 42.5% of the vote (7 of 15 seats), the National Alliance 27.7% (4), the Democratic Party 16.5% (2), and the United Sint Maarten Party 11.3% (2). Turnout is 69.4%.

30

European Union: Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland, is chosen as the next president of the European Council and Federica Mogherini, foreign minister of Italy, as the next high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
Lesotho: Prime Minister Tom Thabane flees to South Africa, accusing the military of staging a coup, which the military denies. On August 31 it is announced that Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing is in charge of the government in the absence of the prime minister.

31

Germany: In state elections in Sachsen, the Christian Democratic Union wins 39.4% of the vote (59 of 126 seats), the Left 18.9% (27), the Social Democratic Party 12.4% (18), the Alternative for Germany 9.7% (14), the Greens 5.7% (8), the National Democratic Party 4.9% (0), and the Free Democratic Party 3.8% (0). Turnout is 49.1%.
Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Kagawa, incumbent Keizo Hamada wins 83.6% of the vote and Tadashi Kawamura 16.4%. Turnout is 33.6%.
Romania: Former foreign minister (1978-85) Stefan Andrei dies.