Rulers

February 2016

1

Guatemala: Former chief of state (1983-86) Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores dies.
Jersey: Former lieutenant governor (1979-84) Sir Peter Whiteley dies.
Marshall Islands: President Hilda Heine's cabinet is sworn in, including John Silk as foreign minister, Brenson S. Wase as finance minister, and Amenta Matthew as internal affairs minister.

2

Brazil: Former foreign minister (1993, 1995-2001) Luiz Felipe Palmeira Lampreia dies.
Haiti: Prime Minister Evans Paul resigns.

Dyumin
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Tula oblast, Vladimir Gruzdev, and appoints Aleksey Dyumin as acting governor until elections.
Spain: The king asks Pedro Sánchez to form a new government.

3

India: Former governor of Madhya Pradesh (2004-09) and Gujarat (2004) Balram Jakhar dies.
Malaysia: The chief minister of Kedah, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, resigns. On February 4 Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah is sworn in as chief minister.

4

Saint Helena: Former administrator of Ascension (1977-79) Simon Gillett dies.
United States: Former governor of Indiana (1969-73) Edgar D. Whitcomb dies.

5

Serbia: Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic is removed from office and Finance Minister Dusan Vujovic made acting defense minister. On February 20 Zoran Djordjevic is nominated as defense minister.

7


Privert
Jean
Haiti: President Michel Martelly leaves office at the end of his term, without a successor in place as the runoff election originally set for Dec. 27, 2015, was postponed to January 17, January 24, and then indefinitely. A last-minute agreement provides for parliament to elect a provisional president within five days. Meanwhile Prime Minister Evans Paul is acting head of state. On February 14 Jocelerme Privert is elected as the provisional president. On February 25 he appoints Fritz Jean as prime minister, who takes office February 26, though Paul continues to claim the office as Jean has not been confirmed by parliament.

8

Lebanon: Parliament fails in its 35th session to elect a president due to lack of quorum, the next session being scheduled for March 2.
Philippines: President Benigno Aquino III accepts the resignation of Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, effective March 7.

9


Ahmed Izid Bih
Mauritania: In a cabinet reshuffle, Isselkou Ould Ahmed Izid Bih is appointed foreign minister.
Nepal: Former prime minister (2014-15) Sushil Koirala dies.

10

United States: Former transportation secretary (1981-83) Andrew L. Lewis, Jr., dies.

11

France: Jean-Marc Ayrault is named foreign minister in a cabinet reshuffle.

Kucinskis
Latvia: The Saeima confirms (60-32) the government of Maris Kucinskis, including Dana Reizniece-Ozola as finance minister, other key ministers being unchanged.
Mexico: José Ignacio Peralta takes office as governor of Colima.
South Sudan: President Salva Kiir appoints Riek Machar as first vice president and James Wani Igga as second vice president.

Salwai
Leingkone
Vanuatu: Charlot Salwai is elected prime minister by 46 votes in the 52-seat parliament. Bruno Leingkone is named foreign minister, Gaetan Pikioune finance minister, and Alfred Maoh internal affairs minister.

12

Argentina: Former foreign minister (1981) Oscar Camilión dies.
Fiji: Parliament rejects (28-11) a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
Indonesia: The following governors are sworn in: Ridwan Mukti (Bengkulu), Zumi Zola (Jambi), Sahbirin Noor (Kalimantan Selatan), Irianto Lambrie (Kalimantan Utara), Muhammad Sani (Kepulauan Riau), Olly Dondokambey (Sulawesi Utara), and Irwan Prayitno (Sumatera Barat).

13


Padacké
Chad: Prime Minister Kalzeubé Pahimi Deubet resigns. Albert Pahimi Padacké is named to replace him. He takes office February 15. On February 16 his cabinet is announced including Mahamat Allamine Bourma Tréyé as finance minister, other key ministers remaining in place.
Kosovo: Former president of the Assembly (1969-74) and secretary of the Central Committee of the League of Communists (1983-84) Ilaz Kurteshi dies.
Mexico: Former governor of Puebla (1969-72) Rafael Moreno Valle dies.

14

Central African Republic: In the presidential runoff, Faustin Archange Touadéra wins 62.7% of the vote and Anicet George Dologuélé 37.3%. Turnout is 59%.
Libya: A revised composition of the new Government of National Accord (to be headed by Fayez al-Sarraj) is announced with Mohamed Taha Siala as foreign minister, Mahdi al-Barghathi as defense minister, al-Aref al-Khoja as interior minister, and Fakhr Muftah Bufernah as finance minister. However, its confirmation by the Tobruk-based parliament on February 23 fails for lack of a quorum.
Sri Lanka: Reginald Cooray is appointed (effective February 16) and sworn in as governor of Northern province.

15

Brazil: Former governor of Sergipe (1971-75) Paulo Barreto de Menezes dies.

16

Albania: In a cabinet reshuffle, Arben Ahmetaj is named finance minister. He is confirmed by parliament (77-0) on February 25 and sworn in on February 26.
Ukraine: The government of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk survives a no-confidence vote (194 votes for the motion, 226 required).
United Nations: Former secretary-general (1992-96) Boutros Boutros-Ghali dies.

17

Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Zabaikalsky kray, Konstantin Ilkovsky, and appoints Natalya Zhdanova as acting governor until elections.

18

Montenegro: Parliament votes 42-1 to dismiss Interior Minister Rasko Konjevic. Deputy Prime Minister Dusko Markovic becomes acting interior minister.
Uganda: In presidential elections, incumbent Yoweri Museveni wins 60.8% of the vote and Kizza Besigye 35.4%. Turnout is 63.5%.

19

Bulgaria: A vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's government is defeated in parliament, 130-80.

Pul
India: President's rule is lifted in Arunachal Pradesh and Kalikho Pul is sworn in as chief minister.
Russia: The head of the republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Tamerlan Aguzarov, dies. Prime Minister Vyacheslav Bitarov takes over his duties, and on February 29 is officially appointed as acting head of the republic by President Vladimir Putin.

21

Comoros: In the first round of presidential elections (held only on Grande Comore, according to the rotating system), Mohamed Ali Soilihi wins 17.9% of the vote, Mouigni Baraka Said Soilihi 15.6%, Azali Assoumani 15.1%, and Fahmi Said Ibrahim 14.9%. Turnout is 74.4%. The three leading candidates qualify for a second round on April 10. Results of gubernatorial elections:

22

Niger: In presidential elections held February 21-22, incumbent Mahamadou Issoufou wins 48.4% of the vote, former prime minister Hama Amadou 17.8%, former prime minister Seyni Oumarou 12.1%, and former president Mahamane Ousmane 6.3%. Turnout is 66.8%. The runoff is to be held on March 20.
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: Former prefect (1981-82) Claude Guyon dies.

23

Portugal: Former president of the government of Madeira (1976-78) Jaime Ornelas Camacho dies.
Vanuatu: Former foreign minister (2015-16) Havo Moli dies.

24

Afghanistan: Maj.Gen. Taj Mohammad Jahid is nominated as interior minister.
Ghana: Parliament approves the nomination of Prosper Douglas Bani as interior minister. He is sworn in on February 26.
India: Former lieutenant governor of Mizoram (1974-77) S.K. Chhibber dies.

25

Jamaica: In parliamentary elections, the Jamaica Labour Party wins 32 of 63 seats and the ruling People's National Party 31. Turnout is about 47%.
Solomon Islands: Former chief minister (1976-78), prime minister (1978-81, 1984-86), and foreign minister (1978-81, 1988-89, 1990-92) Sir Peter Kenilorea dies.

26

Canada: Former premier of Alberta (1985-92) Donald Getty dies.
Ireland: In parliamentary elections, Fine Gael wins 25.5% of the vote (50 of 158 seats), Fianna Fáil 24.3% (44), Sinn Féin 13.8% (23), Labour 6.6% (7), the Independent Alliance 4.2% (6), the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit 3.9% (6), the Social Democrats 3% (3), the Green Party 2.7% (2), and independents and others 16% (17). Turnout is 65.1%.
Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi is elected president, receiving 71 votes in the 120-seat parliament in a third round of voting, after receiving 50 and 64 votes in the first and second round respectively, when 80 votes were needed. He is to take office April 7.

27

Russia: President Vladimir Putin appoints Rashid Temrezov, whose regular term would have expired March 1, as acting head of the republic of Karachayevo-Cherkessia.