Rulers

October 2015

1

Gibraltar: Lieut.Gen. Edward Davis is appointed governor, to take office in early 2016.
Mexico: Silvano Aureoles Conejo takes office as governor of Michoacán and Francisco Domínguez Servién as governor of Querétaro.
Russia: Dmitry Kobylkin is elected as governor of Yamalo-Nenets autonomous okrug by the local parliament with 21 votes against 1 for Anatoly Sak; he is sworn in the same day.

Stefanelli
Renzi
San Marino: Lorella Stefanelli (Christian Democrat) and Nicola Renzi (Popular Alliance) take office as captains-regent.

2


Mbella
Silva
Brazil: In a cabinet reshuffle, Aldo Rebelo is named defense minister.
Cameroon: In a cabinet reshuffle, Lejeune Mbella Mbella is named foreign minister and Joseph Beti Assomo defense minister.
Guinea-Bissau: Prime Minister Carlos Correia submits his cabinet list to President José Mário Vaz, who on October 6 rejects it and asks him to submit a new proposal. On October 13 the government is formed with Artur Silva as foreign minister, Adiato Djaló Nandigna as defense minister, and Geraldo Martins as finance minister; Vaz will act as interim minister of internal administration until that portfolio is assigned.

Oli
Thapa
Nepal: Prime Minister Sushil Koirala announces his resignation. On October 11 parliament elects K.P. Sharma Oli as prime minister (338 votes against 249 for Koirala); he is sworn in on October 12, with Kamal Thapa as foreign minister. On October 18 the cabinet is expanded, Shakti Bahadur Basnet being appointed home affairs minister.
Panama: Former president (1985-88) Eric Arturo Delvalle dies.

Levchenko
Russia: Sergey Levchenko is sworn in as governor of Irkutsk oblast.
United States: Education Secretary Arne Duncan announces his resignation, effective in December. John B. King, Jr., is designated to succeed him.

3

Indonesia: Former governor of Jambi (1979-89) Masjchun Sofwan dies.

Shoniyin
Liberia: Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan resigns effective October 10. It is announced on October 9 that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has accepted the resignation as of October 8 and has also dismissed Internal Affairs Minister Morris Dukuly. Subsequently B. Elias Shoniyin becomes acting foreign minister and Varney A. Sirleaf (from October 12) acting internal affairs minister.
United Arab Emirates: In parliamentary elections (turnout 35.3%), 20 nonpartisan members are elected; 20 more members are appointed by the rulers of the seven emirates.

4

Kyrgyzstan: In parliamentary elections, the Social Democratic Party wins 27.4% of the vote (38 of 120 seats), Respublika-Ata-Zhurt 20.1% (28), the Kyrgyzstan party 12.9% (18), Onuguu-Progress 9.3% (13), Bir Bol 8.5% (12), Ata-Meken 7.8% (11), and Emgek 6.1% (0). Turnout is about 60%. On October 28 the president signs a decree to consider the government of Prime Minister Temir Sariyev as resigned.
Mexico: Jaime Rodríguez Calderón takes office as governor of Nuevo León.
Portugal: In parliamentary elections, the Social Democratic Party/Popular Party coalition wins 38.3% of the vote (102 of 230 seats), the Socialist Party 33.6% (86), the Left Bloc 10.6% (19), the Communist Party-Ecologist Party The Greens 8.6% (17), and the Social Democratic Party (Azores and Madeira) 1.6% (5). Turnout is 55.8%. On October 6 President Aníbal Cavaco Silva asks Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho to form a new government; he reappoints him prime minister on October 22. On October 27 the new government is named including João Calvão da Silva as interior minister, while the foreign, defense, and finance ministers are unchanged.

6

Ethiopia: Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn forms a new government, including Abdulaziz Mohammed as finance minister; Tedros Adhanom remains foreign minister and Siraj Fegesa defense minister.
Hungary: Former president (1990-2000) Árpád Göncz dies.
Turkmenistan: Yaylim Berdiyev is appointed defense minister and Guychgeldi Khodzhaberdiyev minister of national security.
United States: In mayoral elections in Juneau, Greg Fisk wins 66.4% of the vote and incumbent Merrill Sanford 33.1%. Fisk is sworn in on October 20.

7

Marshall Islands: Former president (2009-12) Jurelang Zedkaia dies.

8

Greece: The government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wins a confidence vote in parliament (155-144).

9

Libya: A deal is announced to form a new unity government with Fayez al-Sarraj as prime minister.
Federated States of Micronesia: The governor of Pohnpei, John Ehsa, resigns. On October 10 Lieutenant Governor Marcelo K. Peterson becomes governor.
United Kingdom: Geoffrey Howe, Baron Howe of Aberavon, former foreign secretary (1983-89), dies.

10

Nigeria: Former governor of Bayelsa (1999-2005) Diepreye Alamieyeseigha dies.

11

Austria: In state elections in Wien, the Social Democratic Party wins 39.6% of the vote (44 of 100 seats), the Freedom Party 30.8% (34), the Greens 11.8% (10), the Austrian People's Party 9.2% (7), and New Austria 6.2% (5). Turnout is 74.7%.
Belarus: In presidential elections, incumbent Alyaksandr Lukashenka wins 84.1% of the vote, Tatsyana Karatkevich 4.4%, and Sergey Gaydukevich 3.3%. Turnout is 87.2%.
Guinea: In presidential elections, incumbent Alpha Condé wins 57.8% of the vote and Cellou Dalein Diallo 31.4%. Turnout is 68.4%.

12

Fiji: Parliament elects Jioji Konrote as president with 31 votes, against 14 for Ratu Epeli Ganilau. Konrote is to take office in early November.
Kyrgyzstan: Defense Minister Abibilla Kudayberdiyev is relieved of his duties and Zamirbek Suyerkulov appointed acting defense minister.
South Africa: Former administrator of Cape province (1979-89) Gene Louw dies.

14

Benin: Former president (1972-91, 1996-2006) Mathieu Kérékou dies.
India: Former governor of Sikkim (1990-94) R.H. Tahiliani dies.
Kazakhstan: Former prime minister (1997-99) Nurlan Balgimbayev dies.
Maldives: Defense Minister Moosa Ali Jaleel is sacked. On October 28 Adam Shareef Umar is appointed and sworn in as defense minister.

15

Russia: Sergey Sitnikov is sworn in as governor of Kostroma oblast.

18

Finland: In parliamentary elections in the Åland Islands, the Liberals of Åland win 23.3% of the vote (7 of 30 seats), the Åland Centre 21.7% (7), the Moderates of Åland 17.8% (5), the Social Democrats 15.8% (5), the Independent Rally 9.6% (3), and Åland's Future 7.4% (2). Turnout is 70.3%.
Switzerland: In parliamentary elections, the Swiss People's Party wins 29.4% of the vote (65 of 200 seats), the Social Democratic Party 18.8% (43), the Liberal-Democratic Party 16.4% (33), the Christian Democratic People's Party 11.6% (28), the Greens 7.1% (11), the Green Liberal Party 4.6% (7), and the Civic Democratic Party 4.1% (7). Turnout is 48.4%.

19

Canada: In parliamentary elections, the Liberal Party wins 39.5% of the vote (184 of 338 seats), the Conservative Party 31.9% (99), the New Democratic Party 19.7% (44), the Bloc Québécois 4.7% (10), and the Green Party 3.5% (1). Turnout is 68.5%.
Libya: Former foreign minister (1976-82, 1984-86) Ali Triki dies.

20

United Kingdom: Peter Robinson resumes his post as first minister of Northern Ireland.

21

Lebanon: Parliament again fails to elect a president (no quorum), the next attempt being set for November 11.
Solomon Islands: Seven ministers including Home Affairs Minister Douglas Ete and National Security Minister Commins Mewa resign. On October 26 Manasseh Maelanga is named home affairs minister. He is sworn in on October 28, along with Stanley Sofu as minister of national security.

22

Brunei: In a cabinet reshuffle, Sultan Sir Hassanal Bolkiah Mu´izzadin Waddaulah takes over the foreign affairs portfolio and Pehin Dato Haji Awang Abu Bakar Haji Apong is appointed home affairs minister.
Mexico: The electoral tribunal overturns the June election for governor of Colima and orders a new ballot.
Sint Maarten: William Marlin is named as formateur of a new cabinet. On October 28 the government of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs resigns.

24

Nigeria: An election tribunal nullifies the election of Nyesom Wike as governor of Rivers and orders a re-run election.
United States: In gubernatorial ("open primary") elections in Louisiana, John Bel Edwards (Democrat) wins 39.9% of the vote, David Vitter (Republican) 23%, Scott Angelle (Republican) 19.3%, and Jay Dardenne (Republican) 15%. Edwards and Vitter will face each other in a November 21 runoff.

25

Argentina: In presidential elections, Daniel Scioli (Frente para la Victoria [FpV]) wins 36.9% of the vote, Mauricio Macri (Cambiemos) 34.3%, and Sergio Massa (Unidos por una Nueva Alternativa [UNA]) 21.3%. Turnout is 80.9%. A runoff is to be held on November 22. As a result of elections to 130 of 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 of 72 in the Senate, the FpV and its allies will hold 117 seats in the Chamber and 42 in the Senate, and Cambiemos 68 and 20. Results of gubernatorial elections: Côte d'Ivoire: In presidential elections, incumbent Alassane Ouattara wins 83.7% of the vote and Affi N'Guessan 9.3%. Turnout is 52.9%.
Guatemala: In the presidential runoff, Jimmy Morales wins 67.4% of the vote and Sandra Torres 32.6%. Turnout is 56.3%.
Haiti: In presidential elections, Jovenel Moïse wins 32.8% of the vote, Jude Célestin 25.2%, and Moïse Jean-Charles 14.2%. A runoff is to be held December 27.
Oman: In elections to the Consultative Assembly, 85 nonpartisan members are elected. Turnout is 56.7%.
Poland: In parliamentary elections, Law and Justice wins 37.6% of the vote (235 of 460 seats), the Civic Platform 24.1% (138), Kukiz'15 8.8% (42), Modern 7.6% (28), the United Left 7.5% (0), and the Polish People's Party 5.1% (16).
Tanzania: In presidential elections, John Magufuli (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) wins 58.5% of the vote and Edward Lowassa (Chadema) 40%. Elections are also held for president of Zanzibar, but on October 28 the vote is annulled because of irregularities.

26

Cuba: The resignation of Interior Minister Abelardo Colomé Ibarra is announced. He is to be replaced by Carlos Fernández Gondín.

Kumar
India: Vijay Kumar takes office as administrator of Lakshadweep.

27

Mexico: Héctor Astudillo Flores takes office as governor of Guerrero.
Somalia: In a cabinet reshuffle in Somaliland, Saad Ali Shire is appointed foreign minister.
Switzerland: Former Regierender Landammann of Appenzell Innerrhoden (1986-88, 1990-92) Beat Graf dies.

28


Bhandari
Nepal: Parliament elects Bidya Devi Bhandari as president. She receives 327 votes against 214 for Kul Bahadur Gurung. She is sworn in on October 29.

29

Argentina: Juan Luis Manzur takes office as governor of Tucumán.
Central African Republic: In a cabinet reshuffle, Joseph Bidoumi is named defense minister and Chrysostome Sambia public security minister.
Congo (Kinshasa): The long-planned division of the 11 provinces into 26 (nominally carried out in July, but new governors could not yet be elected) is made effective by the naming of special commissioners to the 21 new provinces (5 being unaffected, except that Bas-Congo is renamed Kongo Central): Antony Yenga (Bas-Uélé), Roger Muamba Mombenza (Équateur), Félicien Katanga Lokunda (Haut-Katanga), Raymond Mande Mutombo (Haut-Lomami), Célestin Bondomiso (Haut-Uélé), Jefferson Abdallah (Ituri), Marc Manyanga (Kasaï), Alex Kande Mupompa (Kasaï Central), Alphonse Ngoyi Kasanji (Kasaï Oriental), Larousse Kabula Mavula (Kwango), Michel Balabala Kasongo (Kwilu), Patrice Kamanda (Lomami), Richard Muyej (Lualaba), Gentiny Ngobila Mbaka (Mai-Ndombe), Marceline Mondjiba (Mongala), Marie-Thérèse Gerengbo (Nord-Ubangi), Berthold Ulungu Ekunda (Sankuru), Robert Kolonga (Sud-Ubangi), Richard Ngoy Kitangala (Tanganyika), Jean Ilongo Tokole (Tshopo), and Cyprien Lomboto (Tshuapa).

Brega
Moldova: Parliament dismisses the government of Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet in a no-confidence vote (65-18). On October 30 President Nicolae Timofti appoints Gheorghe Brega as acting prime minister.

30

Brazil: Former governor of Piauí (1979-83) Lucídio Portella Nunes dies.
Nigeria: The emir of Borgu, Haliru Dantoro Kitoro III, dies.