Rulers
April 2017
1
Paraguay: Interior Minister Tadeo Rojas is dismissed and Lorenzo Darío Lezcano named acting interior minister.
Zavoli | 
D'Ambrosio |
San Marino: Mimma Zavoli (Civic10) and Vanessa D'Ambrosio (Democratic Socialist Left) take office as captains-regent.
2
Armenia: In parliamentary elections, the Republican Party of Armenia wins 49.1% of the vote (55 of 101 seats), the Tsarukyan alliance 27.3% (30), the Yelk (Way Out) alliance 7.8% (9), and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation 6.6% (7). Turnout is 60.9%.
Ecuador: In the presidential runoff, Lenín Moreno wins 51.2% of the vote and Guillermo Lasso 48.8%. Turnout is 82.9%.
Gibbs |
Saint-Martin: Daniel Gibbs is elected president of the Territorial Council (18 votes).
Serbia: In presidential elections, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic wins 56.0% of the vote, Sasa Jankovic 16.6%, and Luka Maksimovic 9.6%. Turnout is 54.4%.
3
Pakistan: Former governor of Sindh (1999-2000) Azim Daudpota dies.
Philippines: Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno is dismissed. On April 5 Catalino Cuy is named officer in charge of the department.
Pesoshin |
Russia: The president of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, relieves Ildar Khalikov from his post of prime minister. First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Pesoshin becomes acting prime minister. On April 17 the legislature confirms Pesoshin as prime minister.
4
Brechalov | 
Vergé |
Russia: President Vladimir Putin dismisses the head of the republic of Udmurtia, Aleksandr Solovyov, and appoints Aleksandr Brechalov as acting head of the republic.
Spain: María Dolores Pagán Arce becomes acting president of Murcia following the resignation of Pedro Antonio Sánchez. On April 29 Fernando López Miras is elected president (22-19).
United States: In mayoral elections in St. Louis, Lyda Krewson (Democrat) wins 67.5% of the vote, Andrew Jones (Republican) 17.3%, and Larry Rice (Independent) 10.5%. Krewson is sworn in on April 18.
Wallis and Futuna: David Vergé is elected president of the Territorial Assembly (11 votes).
5
Bourita |
Morocco: The new government of Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani is named and sworn in, with Nasser Bourita as foreign minister and Abdelouafi Laftit as interior minister, while Abdellatif Loudiyi remains minister-delegate in charge of defense and Mohamed Boussaid finance minister. The Chamber of Representatives approves the government (208-91) on April 26.
Switzerland: Manuele Bertoli takes office as president of the Council of State of Ticino.
6
Stelzer |
Austria: Thomas Stelzer is elected Landeshauptmann of Oberösterreich (51 of 55 votes).
Brazil: Former governor of Piauí (1986-87) José Raimundo Bona Medeiros dies.
Congo (Kinshasa): Prime Minister Samy Badibanga resigns, a day after President Joseph Kabila announced he was going to appoint a new prime minister. Kabila names Bruno Tshibala on April 7.
The Gambia: In parliamentary elections, the United Democratic Party wins 31 of 53 elected seats, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction 5, the National Reconciliation Party 5, the Gambia Democratic Congress 5, and the People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism 4. With 5 appointed members, the total is 58 seats.
Yevstifeyev |
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the head of the republic of Mari El, Leonid Markelov, and appoints Aleksandr Yevstifeyev as acting head of the republic until elections.
7
China: Xu Qin is appointed acting governor of Hebei.
Cook Islands: The resignation of Internal Affairs Minister Albert Nicholas is announced.
8
Maïga |
Mali: Defense Minister Abdoulaye Idrissa Maïga is named prime minister. He takes office April 10. On April 11 a cabinet is named including Tiéna Coulibaly as defense minister and Tieman Coulibaly as minister of territorial administration.
9
Bibilov |
Georgia: In presidential elections in South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov wins 54.8% of the vote, incumbent Leonid Tibilov 33.7%, and Alan Gagloyev 10.2%. Turnout is 79.6%. Bibilov takes office April 21.
Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Akita, incumbent Norihisa Satake wins 67.8% of the vote and Sukeshiro Terata 25%. Turnout is 51.8%.
Lebanon: Former foreign minister (1973-74) Fouad Naffah dies.
10
United States: The governor of Alabama, Robert Bentley, resigns. Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey is sworn in as governor.
12
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the head of the republic of Mordovia, Vladimir Volkov, and appoints him as acting head of the republic until elections.
14
Canada: Former commissioner of Yukon Territory (1966-76) James Smith dies.
India: Former governor of Jammu and Kashmir (1990-93, 1998-2003) Girish Chandra Saxena dies.
17
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Sverdlovsk oblast, Yevgeny Kuyvashev, whose regular term would have expired May 29, and appoints him as acting governor until elections.
18
Congo (Kinshasa): The provincial assembly of Haut-Katanga passes a motion of no confidence in Governor Jean-Claude Kazembe Musonda (24-0). On April 22 Célestin Pande Kapopo is named interim governor.
19
Albania: Parliament fails to elect a president in the first round as no candidates are nominated, the ruling coalition attempting to bring the opposition, which has been boycotting parliament since February, into the process. The second round on April 20 fails likewise, as does the third on April 27. In the fourth round on April 28, Ilir Meta is elected (87-2).
Mikl-Leitner |
Austria: Johanna Mikl-Leitner is elected Landeshauptfrau of Niederösterreich (52 of 56 votes).
Indonesia: In the gubernatorial runoff in Jakarta, Anies Baswedan defeats Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, 58%-42%. Baswedan is to take office in October.
21
Nigeria: Former administrator of Bayelsa (1996-97) Oladipo Phillips Ayeni dies.
23
France: In the first round of presidential elections, Emmanuel Macron (En Marche!) wins 24% of the vote, Marine Le Pen (National Front) 21.3%, François Fillon (Republicans) 20%, Jean-Luc Mélenchon (La France insoumise) 19.6%, Benoît Hamon (Socialist Party) 6.4%, and Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (Debout la France) 4.7%. Turnout is 77.8%. A runoff will be held on May 7.
Nigeria: Former governor of Osun (1992-93) Isiaka Adeleke dies.
Peru: Former prime minister and foreign minister (1984-85) Luis Pércovich Roca dies.
24
Afghanistan: Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi resigns. Tariq Shah Bahrami is appointed acting defense minister.
Frederiksen |
Greenland: Foreign Minister Vittus Qujaukitsoq resigns and is replaced by Suka K. Frederiksen.
Brownlee |
New Zealand: In a cabinet reshuffle, Gerry Brownlee is named foreign minister and Mark Mitchell defence minister (to be sworn in May 2).
United States: The Senate confirms Sonny Perdue as agriculture secretary (87-11); he is sworn in on April 25. On April 27 Alexander Acosta is confirmed as labor secretary (60-38); he is sworn in April 28.
25
Kenya: Former foreign minister (1974-79) Munyua Waiyaki dies.
27
Bulgaria: President Rumen Radev gives Boyko Borisov a mandate to form a government.
Croatia: Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic dismisses Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic. On April 28 Robert Kopal is named acting minister.
Czech Republic: Jirí Zimola resigns and Ivana Stráská is elected as governor of Jihoceský kraj.
28
Anguilla: Tim Foy is appointed governor, to take office in August.
China: Yuan Jiajun is appointed acting governor of Zhejiang.
Curaçao: In connection with parliamentary elections this day, the government of Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas resigns. The election results in the Real Alternative Party winning 23.3% of the vote (6 of 21 seats), the Party MAN 20.4% (5), the Movement for the Future of Curaçao 19.9% (5), Korsou di Nos Tur 9.4% (2), the National Innovation Party 5.3% (1), Sovereign People 5.1% (1), and the Progressive Movement 4.9% (1). Turnout is 66.5%.
Macedonia: Interior Minister Agim Nuhiu resigns.
29
Dalla Torre |
Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto is elected as lieutenant (interim grand master) for one year (sworn in April 30).
30
Nepal: Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi resigns.
Switzerland: Daniel Fässler is elected Regierender Landammann of Appenzell Innerrhoden.
Tunisia: Finance Minister Lamia Zribi is dismissed. Investments Minister Fadhel Abdelkefi becomes acting finance minister.