Rulers

May 2022

1

Cuba: Former foreign minister (1992-93) Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada dies.

Mühlemann
Schmidt
Stocker
Switzerland: Benjamin Mühlemann becomes Landammann of Glarus, Roberto Schmidt president of the Council of State of Valais, and Ernst Stocker president of the government of Zürich.

2

Denmark: Christian Rabjerg Madsen becomes interior minister in a cabinet reshuffle.

Arriola
Paraguay: Julio Arriola is named foreign minister (sworn in May 3).

3

United States: Former secretary of commerce (2000-01) and transportation (2001-06) Norman Y. Mineta dies.

4

Belarus: Former chairman of the Supreme Soviet (1991-94) Stanislau Shushkevich dies.
The Gambia: A new cabinet is appointed including Alieu Badara Joof as vice president, Serign Modou Njie as defense minister, Seedy Keita as finance minister, and Siaka Sonko as interior minister; Mamadou Tangara remains foreign minister.

5


Wheatley
British Virgin Islands: The House of Assembly approves a no-confidence vote against Premier Andrew Fahie (10-0). Acting Premier Natalio Wheatley is sworn in as premier, also becoming finance minister.
Congo (Kinshasa): Parliament approves the 23rd extension of the state of siege in Ituri and Nord-Kivu, followed by a 24th on May 20.
United Kingdom: In elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, Sinn Féin wins 29.0% of first-preference votes (27 of 90 seats), the Democratic Unionist Party 21.3% (25), the Alliance Party 13.5% (17), the Ulster Unionist Party 11.2% (9), the Social Democratic and Labour Party 9.1% (8), and Traditional Unionist Voice 7.6% (1). Turnout is 63.6%.

6

Congo (Kinshasa): In the first round of voting in the provincial assemblies, the following governors are elected: The following are elected in a second round on May 9: Tonga: Finance Minister Tatafu Moeaki loses his parliamentary seat on being convicted of bribery.

8

China: John Lee is elected chief executive of Hong Kong (1,416-8), to take office July 1.

Chaves
André
Costa Rica: Rodrigo Chaves is sworn in as president and his cabinet (including Arnoldo André Tinoco as foreign minister; see April 3) takes office.

Gagloyev
Georgia: In the presidential runoff in South Ossetia, Alan Gagloyev wins about 54% of the vote and Anatoly Bibilov about 43%. Turnout is about 65%. Gagloyev is sworn in on May 24.
Germany: In state elections in Schleswig-Holstein, the Christian Democratic Union wins 43.4% of the vote (34 of 69 seats), the Greens 18.3% (14), the Social Democratic Party 16.0% (12), the Free Democratic Party 6.4% (5), the South Schleswig Voters Association 5.7% (4), the Alternative for Germany 4.4% (0), and the Left 1.7% (0). Turnout is 60.4%.

9

Comoros: In a cabinet reshuffle, Mzé Abdou Mohamed Chanfiou becomes finance minister.

Üstel
Cyprus: In North Cyprus, President Ersin Tatar asks Ünal Üstel to form a government. The government is named on May 12, with Sunat Atun as finance minister and Ziya Öztürkler as interior minister; Tahsin Ertugruloglu remains foreign minister.
Philippines: In presidential elections, Bongbong Marcos wins 58.8% of the vote, Leni Robredo 27.9%, and Manny Pacquiao 6.8%. In the vice presidential vote, Sara Duterte wins 61.5% of the vote, Francis Pangilinan 17.8%, and Tito Sotto 15.8%. Turnout is about 83%. On May 13 Marcos names Benjamin Abalos, Jr., as interior secretary and on May 26 Benjamin Diokno as finance secretary.
Sri Lanka: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse resigns. The resignation is accepted by President Gotabaya Rajapakse. On May 12 Ranil Wickremesinghe is appointed and sworn in as prime minister. On May 14 he inducts four ministers into his cabinet, including Gamini Lakshman Peiris retained as foreign minister. On May 17 a no-confidence motion against the president is defeated in parliament (119-68). On May 25 Wickremesinghe is also sworn in as finance minister.

10


Fyles
Novák
Australia: The chief minister of the Northern Territory, Michael Gunner, resigns. Nicole Manison becomes acting chief minister. On May 13 Natasha Fyles is sworn in as chief minister.
Hungary: Katalin Novák takes office as president.

Yoon
Park
Han
South Korea: Yoon Suk Yeol takes office as president and appoints seven ministers whose nominations were approved by the National Assembly, including Lee Jong Sup as defense minister and Choo Kyung Ho as finance minister. On May 12 Yoon appoints Park Jin as foreign minister and Lee Sang Min as interior minister, without waiting for the parliamentary approval (which is only required for the prime minister). Prime Minister Kim Boo Kyum leaves office on May 12 and Choo becomes acting prime minister until nominee Han Duck Soo is approved (208-36) on May 20 and appointed on May 21.
Kuwait: The emir accepts the (April 5) resignation of the government.
Russia: The governors of Kirov (Igor Vasilyev), Ryazan (Nikolay Lyubimov), Saratov (Valery Radayev), and Tomsk (Sergey Zhvachkin) oblasti and the head of the republic of Mari El (Aleksandr Yevstifeyev) resign. President Vladimir Putin appoints as acting successors Aleksandr Sokolov for Kirov, Pavel Malkov for Ryazan, Roman Busargin for Saratov, Vladimir Mazur for Tomsk, and Yury Zaytsev (prime minister of Kalmykia) for Mari El. On May 11 Ochir Shurgucheyev is appointed acting prime minister of Kalmykia.

Sokolov
Malkov
Busargin
Mazur
Zaytsev
Shurgucheyev

Byron
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Timothy Harris dismisses several cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Mark Brantley (whose portfolio is assigned to Attorney General Vincent Byron), and dissolves parliament.
Ukraine: Former president (1991-94) Leonid Kravchuk dies.

12

Canada: Former commissioner of the Northwest Territories (1999-2000) Daniel Joseph Marion dies.
Indonesia: As incumbents' terms end, acting governors take office as follows: Ridwan Djamaluddin (Bangka-Belitung), Al Muktabar (Banten), Hamka Hendra Noer (Gorontalo), Paulus Waterpauw (Papua Barat), Akmal Malik (Sulawesi Barat).
Italy: Former president of Lazio (1992-94) Giorgio Pasetto dies.
United States: Former national security advisor (1983-85) Robert C. McFarlane dies.

13

Hungary: The new cabinet is announced with Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky to become defense minister, other key ministers remaining in place. On May 16 parliament reelects Viktor Orbán as prime minister (133-27). The new government is appointed on May 24.

M. Al Nahayan
United Arab Emirates: President Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zaid Al Nahayan dies. On May 14 the Federal Supreme Council elects Sheikh Muhammad ibn Zaid Al Nahayan (Khalifa's successor as ruler of Abu Dhabi) as president.

14

India: The chief minister of Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb, resigns. Manik Saha is designated as chief minister (sworn in May 15).
Niger: Former foreign minister (1996) André Salifou dies.

15


Dantas
Brazil: The Legislative Assembly of Alagoas elects Paulo Suruagy do Amaral Dantas as governor.
Germany: In state elections in Nordrhein-Westfalen, the Christian Democratic Union wins 35.7% of the vote (76 of 195 seats), the Social Democratic Party 26.7% (56), the Greens 18.2% (39), the Free Democratic Party 5.9% (12), the Alternative for Germany 5.4% (12), and the Left 2.1% (0). Turnout is 55.5%.
Lebanon: In parliamentary elections, Hezbollah and its allies win about 62 of 128 seats. Turnout is about 41%. On May 21 President Michel Aoun announces the end of the mandate of Prime Minister Najib Mikati's government (effective May 22) and asks it to continue on an interim basis until a new government is formed.
Somalia: In the first round of presidential elections in parliament, Said Abdullahi Deni wins 65 votes, incumbent Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed 59, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud 52, Hassan Ali Kheyre 47, and Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed 39; the latter and 31 other candidates are then eliminated. In the second round Hassan Sheikh Mohamud wins 110 votes, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed 83, Said Abdullahi Deni 68, and Hassan Ali Kheyre 63. The first two progress into a third round, and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud wins with 214 votes, against 110 for Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is immediately sworn in, but takes office on May 23.

16

Albania: Parliament fails to elect a president in the first round after no candidates were nominated. (In the first three rounds, a three-fifths majority is needed.) The second and third rounds on May 23 and 30 fail likewise.

Borne
Colonna
France: Prime Minister Jean Castex resigns. President Emmanuel Macron appoints Élisabeth Borne as new prime minister (taking office the same day). On May 20 Catherine Colonna is named foreign minister (taking office May 21) and Sébastien Lecornu armies minister; Bruno Le Maire remains finance minister and Gérald Darmanin interior minister.
Guinea-Bissau: President Umaro Sissoco Embaló dissolves parliament. On May 24 he reappoints Nuno Gomes Nabiam as prime minister.
Latvia: Interior Minister Marija Golubeva resigns. Defense Minister Artis Pabriks is appointed acting interior minister. On May 26 the Saeima approves Kristaps Eklons as interior minister.

Faría
Venezuela: In a cabinet reshuffle, Carlos Faría is named foreign minister.

17

Mexico: Former governor of Coahuila (1987-93) Eliseo Mendoza Berrueto dies.

18

Canada: The premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney, resigns as leader of the United Conservative Party. On May 19 it is announced that he will stay on as premier until a new leader is elected.
Northern Mariana Islands: The Senate acquits Governor Ralph Torres of all six articles of impeachment (4-3).

19

Pakistan: Former foreign minister (1993-96) Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali dies.

20

Timor-Leste: José Ramos-Horta takes office as president.

21


Albanese
Wong
Australia: In parliamentary elections, the Liberal-National coalition wins about 36% of the first-preference vote (58 of 151 seats), the Australian Labor Party about 33% (77), the Greens about 12% (4), One Nation about 5% (0), United Australia about 4% (0), and independents about 5% (10). On May 23 Anthony Albanese is sworn in as prime minister, Penny Wong as foreign minister, Jim Chalmers as treasurer, and Katy Gallagher as finance minister. On May 31 the full cabinet is announced (to be sworn in June 1) with Richard Marles to become defence minister and Clare O'Neil home affairs minister.

22

Congo (Kinshasa): Former governor of Katanga (2001-04) Aimé Ngoy Mukena dies.
Indonesia: Former governor of Lampung (1998-2003) Oemarsono dies.
Peru: Dimitri Senmache Artola is sworn in as interior minister.

23


Saxena
India: Vinai Kumar Saxena is appointed lieutenant governor of Delhi (sworn in May 26).

Golob
Slovenia: President Borut Pahor appoints Robert Golob as prime minister-designate. He is elected in parliament (54-30) on May 25. His proposed cabinet includes Tanja Fajon as foreign minister, Marjan Sarec as defense minister, Tatjana Bobnar as interior minister, and Klemen Bostjancic as finance minister.

24

Somalia: Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble suspends Foreign Minister Abdisaid Muse Ali.
World Health Organization: Tedros Adhanom is reelected as director-general.

26

Italy: Former prime minister (1988-89) Ciriaco De Mita dies.

Rozenberg
Moldova: The president of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, dismisses the government of Prime Minister Aleksandr Martynov and appoints Stanislav Kasap as acting prime minister effective May 27 and Aleksandr Rozenberg as new prime minister effective May 30.

27

Vatican City: Angelo Cardinal Sodano, former foreign minister (1988-90) and secretary of state (1990-2006), dies.

28

Albania: Former president (2012-17) Bujar Nishani dies.
Săo Tomé and Príncipe: Former prime minister (1994, 2001-02) and president (2016-21) Evaristo Carvalho dies.

29

Colombia: In the first round of presidential elections, Gustavo Petro wins 40.3% of the vote, Rodolfo Hernández 28.2%, and Federico Gutiérrez 23.9%. Turnout is 54.9%. The runoff will be held on June 19.
Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Niigata, incumbent Hideyo Hanazumi wins 77.5% of the vote and Naomi Katagiri 22.5%. Turnout is 49.6%.

30


Rehman
Pakistan: Baligh Ur Rehman is sworn in as governor of Punjab.

31


Rhein
Germany: The Landtag of Hessen elects Boris Rhein as minister-president (74-62).
Jersey: Vice Adm. Jerry Kyd is appointed as lieutenant governor, to take office in October.