February 2017

Darboe

1

Congo (Kinshasa): Former prime minister (1991, 1992-93, 1997) Étienne Tshisekedi dies.
The Gambia: Ousainou Darboe is sworn in as foreign minister, Mai Ahmad Fatty as interior minister, and Amadou Sanneh as finance minister.
Mexico: Antonio Gali Fayad takes office as governor of Puebla.

Dadae

Pollack-B.

Papua New Guinea: Parliament votes for a governor-general. In the first round, Bob Dadae receives 44 votes, Timothy Bonga 26, and Ted Diro 20. In the second, Dadae is elected with 55 votes against 36 for Bonga. The outgoing governor-general, Sir Michael Ogio, dies on February 18. Parliament speaker Theodore Zurenuoc is acting governor-general until Dadae is sworn in on February 28.
Suriname: Yldiz Pollack-Beighle is sworn in as foreign minister in a reshuffled government.

Tillerson

United States: Rex Tillerson is confirmed by the Senate (56-43) and sworn in as secretary of state. On February 7 Betsy DeVos is confirmed (50-50, with tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence) and sworn in as secretary of education. On February 8 Jeff Sessions is confirmed (52-47) as attorney general; he is sworn in on February 9. On February 10 Tom Price is confirmed (52-47) and sworn in as secretary of health and human services. On February 13 Steve Mnuchin is confirmed (53-47) and sworn in as secretary of the treasury and David Shulkin is confirmed (100-0) as secretary of veterans affairs; Shulkin is sworn in on February 14. On February 15 Andrew Puzder withdraws as nominee for secretary of labor; on February 16 Alexander Acosta is announced as new nominee. On February 17 Scott Pruitt is confirmed (52-46) and sworn in as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. On February 27 Wilbur Ross is confirmed (72-27) as secretary of commerce; he is sworn in on February 28.

Treffel

Wallis and Futuna: Jean-Francis Treffel is appointed as administrator-superior. He takes office February 27.

2

Pakistan: Muhammad Zubair is sworn in as governor of Sindh.

4

India: In parliamentary elections in Goa, the Bharatiya Janata Party wins 32.5% of the vote (13 of 40 seats), the Indian National Congress 28.4% (17), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak 11.3% (3), independents 11.1% (3), and the Goa Forward Party 3.5% (3). In Punjab, the Indian National Congress wins 38.5% of the vote (77 of 117 seats), the Shiromani Akali Dal 25.2% (15), the Aam Aadmi Party 23.7% (20), and the Bharatiya Janata Party 5.4% (3).

5

Taha

Chad: In a cabinet reshuffle, Hissein Brahim Taha is appointed foreign minister and Christian Georges Diguimbaye finance minister.

Palaniswami

India: The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, O. Paneerselvam, resigns. V.K. Sasikala is designated to succeed him. On February 14, however, the Supreme Court of India confirms the conviction of Sasikala in a corruption case and Edappadi K. Palaniswami is chosen as the new chief minister-designate. Palaniswami is sworn in on February 16 and wins a confidence vote (122-11, 89 legislators having been evicted from the vote) on February 18.
Liechtenstein: In parliamentary elections, the Progressive Citizens' Party wins 35.2% of the vote (9 of 25 seats), the Fatherland Union 33.7% (8), The Independents 18.4% (5), and the Free List 12.6% (3). Turnout is 77.8%.

6

Papua New Guinea: Defense Minister Fabian Pok is suspended. Fisheries Minister Mao Zeming is named acting defense minister.

Reshetnikov

Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Perm kray, Viktor Basargin, and appoints Maksim Reshetnikov as acting governor.

7

Algeria: Former prime minister (1998-99) Smail Hamdani dies (night of February 6/7).

Moïse

Tsydenov

Haiti: Jovenel Moïse is sworn in as president. On February 9 Prime Minister Enex Jean-Charles resigns. On February 22 Moïse designates Jack Guy Lafontant as prime minister.
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the head of the republic of Buryatia, Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn, and appoints Aleksey Tsydenov as acting head of the republic.
Swaziland: Former prime minister (1986-89) Sotsha Dlamini dies.

8

Romania: The government of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu survives a no-confidence vote (161-8, 33 void votes; 233 votes were required).

Mohamed

Somalia: In the first round of voting for president, incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud receives 88 votes in parliament, former prime minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed 72, former president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed 49, and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke 37. In the second round, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed wins 184 votes, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud 97, and Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed 46. The incumbent then concedes defeat, eliminating the need for a third round, and Mohamed is immediately sworn in. There is a handover of power on February 16 and a ceremonial inauguration on February 22. On February 23 Hassan Ali Kheyre is named prime minister.
Somalia: Former president of Puntland (2005-09) Mohamud Muse Hersi "Adde" dies.
Switzerland: Elisabeth Ackermann takes office as president of the government of Basel-Stadt.

12

Curaçao: Having lost its majority in parliament, the government of Prime Minister Hensley Koeiman resigns.
Germany: The 1,260-member Federal Assembly elects Frank-Walter Steinmeier as president with 931 votes, against 128 for Christoph Butterwegge and 103 abstentions.
Mauritius: In parliamentary elections in Rodrigues, the Rodrigues People's Organization wins 59.9% of the vote (10 of 17 seats) and the Rodrigues Movement 40.1% (7). Turnout is 80.2%.
Turkmenistan: In presidential elections, incumbent Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov wins 97.7% of the vote. Turnout is 97.3%.

13

Papua New Guinea: Roy Biyama is elected governor of Western province.

Nikitin

Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Novgorod oblast, Sergey Mitin, and appoints Andrey Nikitin as acting governor.

14

Lyubimov

Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Ryazan oblast, Oleg Kovalev, and appoints Nikolay Lyubimov as acting governor.

15

India: In parliamentary elections in Uttarakhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party wins 46.5% of the vote (57 of 70 seats), the Indian National Congress 33.5% (11), and independents 10% (2).
Indonesia: In gubernatorial elections in Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama wins about 43% of the vote, Anies Baswedan about 40%, and Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono about 17%. A runoff will be held April 19.
Ireland: The government of Prime Minister Enda Kenny wins a parliamentary confidence vote (57-52 with 44 abstentions).

Parfenchikov

Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the head of the republic of Karelia, Aleksandr Khudilainen, and appoints Artur Parfenchikov as acting head of the republic.

17

Morocco: Former foreign minister (1977-83) M'hamed Boucetta dies.

19

Ecuador: In presidential elections, Lenín Moreno wins 39.4% of the vote, Guillermo Lasso 28.1%, Cynthia Viteri 16.3%, and Paco Moncayo 6.7%. Turnout is 81.6%. A runoff will be held April 2.

Liezietsu

India: The chief minister of Nagaland, T.R. Zeliang, resigns. On February 20 Shürhozelie Liezietsu is designated as chief minister; he is sworn in on February 22.

20

Burkina Faso: In a cabinet reshuffle, Jean-Claude Bouda becomes defense minister.

21

Falkland Islands: Former governor (1964-70) Sir Cosmo Haskard dies.
French Polynesia: Finance Minister Nuihau Laurey resigns and is replaced by Teva Rohfritsch.
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Tomsk oblast, Sergey Zhvachkin, whose regular term would have expired March 17, and appoints him as acting governor until elections.

22

Galvão

Brazil: Foreign Minister José Serra resigns. Marcos Galvão becomes acting foreign minister.

23

Bermuda: Former governor (1992-97) David Waddington, Baron Waddington, dies.

24

Nigeria: Rotimi Akeredolu is sworn in as governor of Ondo.
Turkmenistan: Col. Dovrangeldi Bayramov is appointed minister of national security.

25

Switzerland: Former president of the government of Basel-Land (1978-79, 1983-84) Paul Jenni dies.

27

Czech Republic: Oto Kosta is deposed and replaced by Ladislav Oklestek as governor of Olomoucký kraj.
El Salvador: Former president (1977-79) Carlos Humberto Romero dies.
India: Former foreign minister (1986) and governor of Sikkim (1994-95) and Kerala (1995-96) P. Shiv Shanker dies.
Tonga: Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva survives a no-confidence vote, which is defeated 14-10.

28

Canada: Former lieutenant governor of Newfoundland (1986-91) James A. McGrath dies.