February 2020

1

Iraq: President Barham Salih appoints Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi as prime minister-designate.

2

New Zealand: Former foreign minister (1990) and prime minister (1990) Mike Moore dies.

3

Kurti

Konjufca

Kosovo: The new government with Albin Kurti as prime minister is approved by 66 votes in the 120-seat parliament. Glauk Konjufca becomes foreign minister, Anton Quni defense minister, Agim Veliu interior minister, and Besnik Bislimi finance minister.
Malawi: The Constitutional Court annuls the May 2019 presidential election, ordering that a new vote be held within 150 days.
Ukraine: Former chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian S.S.R. (1984-90) Valentina Shevchenko dies.

4

Monteiro

Guinea-Bissau: Justice Minister Ruth Monteiro is additionally appointed foreign minister.
Kenya: Former president (1978-2002) Daniel arap Moi dies.

5

Kemmerich

Germany: The Landtag of Thüringen elects Thomas Kemmerich as minister-president; he defeats incumbent Bodo Ramelow 45-44 in the third round of voting. The next day already Kemmerich announces his resignation (formally on February 8).
Martinique: Stanislas Cazelles is appointed prefect effective February 24. He takes office February 27.

Cazelles

Panama: Juan Manuel Pino Forero is appointed and takes office as security minister, replacing Rolando Mirones. Interior Minister Carlos Romero Montenegro is also to be replaced; on February 6 Sheyla Grajales takes office as interior minister. However, Grajales resigns on February 19.
Romania: Prime Minister Ludovic Orban's government is toppled in a no-confidence vote passed by 261 votes (233 needed). On February 6 President Klaus Johannis asks Orban to form a new government. On February 10 Orban announces an unchanged government. On February 24 the Constitutional Court rules that the president must nominate another prime minister, who is likely to obtain majority support in parliament. On February 25 Orban resigns as prime minister-designate, and on February 26 Johannis names Finance Minister Florin Cîtu instead. On February 28 Cîtu announces his cabinet, the only change being Lucian Heius as new finance minister.
United States: The Senate votes to acquit President Donald Trump of the two articles of impeachment: abuse of power (48 guilty, 52 not guilty) and obstruction of Congress (47 guilty, 53 not guilty).

6

Myanmar: Lt.Gen. Soe Htut is appointed home affairs minister (approved by parliament on February 10).

Makhonin

Russia: President Vladimir Putin appoints Dmitry Makhonin acting governor of Perm kray.
Russia: The acting head of the republic of Chuvashia, Oleg Nikolayev, appoints himself prime minister.

7

Congo (Kinshasa): The Constitutional Court invalidates the Nov. 20, 2019, no-confidence vote against the governor of Ituri, Jean Bamanisa.

8

India: In parliamentary elections in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party wins 53.6% of the vote (62 of 70 seats) and the Bharatiya Janata Party 38.5% (8). Turnout is 62.6%.
Ireland: In parliamentary elections, Sinn Féin wins 24.5% of first-preference votes (37 of 160 seats), Fianna Fáil 22.2% (38), Fine Gael 20.9% (35), independents 12.2% (19), the Green Party 7.1% (12), and the Labour Party 4.4% (6). Turnout is 62.9%. On February 20 Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's government resigns, and in the first votes for a new prime minister, Fine Gael's Varadkar is rejected (107-36), as are Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin (97-41) and Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald (84-45).
Turkmenistan: Ezizgeldi Annamukhammedov is appointed finance minister.

9

African Union: South African president Cyril Ramaphosa becomes chairman.
Azerbaijan: In parliamentary elections, the New Azerbaijan Party wins 72 of 125 seats and independents 43. Turnout is 47.8%.
Cameroon: In parliamentary elections, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement wins 139 of 167 seats, the National Union for Democracy and Progress 7, and the Social Democratic Front 5; elections are cancelled for 13 seats. Turnout is 45.9%.

11

Bahrain: Abdul Latif ibn Rashid al-Zayani is appointed foreign minister.
Lebanon: Prime Minister Hassan Diab's government wins a confidence vote in parliament (63-20, 44 absent).

12

Belize: Prime Minister Dean Barrow indefinitely suspends John Saldivar as minister of national security. On February 18 Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte is additionally appointed minister of national security.

13

Nigeria: The Supreme Court invalidates the Nov. 16, 2019, election of David Lyon as governor of Bayelsa, who was to be inaugurated on February 14. Douye Diri is sworn in as governor instead.

Shapsha

Russia: The governor of Kaluga oblast, Anatoly Artamonov, resigns. President Vladimir Putin appoints Vladislav Shapsha as acting governor.
United Kingdom: Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid resigns. In a cabinet reshuffle, Rishi Sunak is appointed chancellor.

14

Belgium: Koen Geens resigns his mission concerning the formation of a government. The king himself begins talks with political parties on February 17. On February 19 he asks the chairmen of the Chamber and Senate, Patrick Dewael and Sabine Laruelle, to "take up the necessary political contacts."
Colombia: Alicia Arango takes office as interior minister.
Honduras: Former foreign minister (1980-82) César Elvir Sierra dies.
India: Former lieutenant governor of Delhi (1985-88) Harkishan Lal Kapoor dies.

15

Fakhfakh

Erray

Tunisia: Prime minister-designate Elyes Fakhfakh announces his government including Noureddine Erray as foreign minister, Imed Hazgui as defense minister, Hichem Mechichi as interior minister, and Nizar Yaïche as finance minister. On February 27 the parliament gives its confidence (129-77) and the government is sworn in.

16

Kuwait: In a cabinet reshuffle, Barrak al-Shitan is appointed as finance minister.

17

Austria: Hans Peter Doskozil is reelected as Landeshauptmann of Burgenland (35-0).
Canada: The premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Dwight Ball, announces his resignation.

Santelli

Italy: Jole Santelli takes office as president of Calabria.
Mozambique: Former prime minister (1986-94) Mário da Graça Machungo dies.

18

Croatia: Zoran Milanovic takes office as president.
Gibraltar: Governor Edward Davis departs and Deputy Governor Nick Pyle is sworn in as acting governor.

19

The Netherlands: Former queen's commissioner of Noord-Holland (1992-2002) Jos van Kemenade dies.
Spain: Former foreign minister (1982-85) Fernando Morán López dies.

20

Lesotho: Prime Minister Tom Thabane says he will resign by the end of July.

21

Iran: In the first round of parliamentary elections, conservatives win 219 of 290 seats, reformists 20, and independents 35. Turnout is 42.6%. Five seats are reserved for religious minorities, while the remaining 11 seats are to be decided in a second round in April.
South Sudan: President Salva Kiir dissolves his cabinet, dismisses the first vice president, Taban Deng Gai, and appoints Riek Machar as first vice president (sworn in February 22).

22

Togo: In presidential elections, incumbent Faure Gnassingbé wins 72.4% of the vote and former prime minister Agbéyomé Kodjo 18.4%. Turnout is 76.6%.

23

Comoros: In the second round of parliamentary elections, the Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros wins another 4 seats (for a total of 20 of the 24 elected seats). Turnout is 70.9%.
Comoros: Former prime minister (1993) Ibrahim Halidi dies.
Germany: In state elections in Hamburg, the Social Democratic Party wins 39.2% of the vote (54 of 123 seats), the Greens 24.2% (33), the Christian Democratic Union 11.2% (15), the Left 9.1% (13), the Alternative for Germany 5.3% (7), and the Free Democratic Party 4.96% (1). Turnout is 63.2%.

24

Malaysia: Prime Minister Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad resigns. The yang di-pertuan agong accepts the resignation; Mahathir is to continue in office in an interim capacity until a successor is appointed. The cabinet is dissolved. On February 29 the agong names Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

25

Egypt: Former president (1981-2011) and prime minister (1981-82) Hosni Mubarak dies.
Peru: Former foreign minister (1980-83) Javier Arias Stella dies.
Timor-Leste: Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak resigns after the budget failed to pass in parliament.
Uzbekistan: Timur Ishmetov is named finance minister.

26

Slovenia: President Borut Pahor nominates Janez Jansa as prime minister.

27

Nabiam

Guinea-Bissau: Umaro Sissoco Embaló is sworn in as president. On February 28 he dismisses Prime Minister Aristides Gomes and appoints Nuno Gomes Nabiam in his place (who takes office February 29), while parliament, not recognizing Embaló, names Cipriano Cassamá as interim president.

28

Malaysia: Datuk Hasni Mohammad is sworn in as chief minister of Johor.
Thailand: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha survives a no-confidence vote in parliament (rejected 272-49). Equivalent motions against five other ministers are also rejected, including Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai (272-55) and Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda (272-54).

29

Slovakia: In parliamentary elections, Ordinary People and Independent Personalities wins 25.0% of the vote (53 of 150 seats), Direction-Social Democracy 18.3% (38), We Are Family 8.2% (17), People's Party-Our Slovakia 8.0% (17), coalition of Progressive Slovakia and Together-Civic Democracy 7.0% (0), Freedom and Solidarity 6.2% (13), and For the People 5.8% (12). Turnout is 65.8%.