Rulers

October 2019

1


Cochrane
Meza-Cuadra
Canada: In parliamentary elections in the Northwest Territories, 19 nonpartisan members are elected (including 3 already acclaimed without opposition on August 30). Premier Bob McLeod did not seek reelection. On October 24 Caroline Cochrane is elected premier, defeating Jackson Lafferty in a third round of voting; she is sworn in on October 25.
Peru: Mercedes Aráoz resigns as vice president and with it from the claimed role of acting president. On October 3 the cabinet of Prime Minister Vicente Zeballos is sworn in with Gustavo Meza-Cuadra as foreign minister, Walter Martos as defense minister, and María Antonieta Alva as finance minister; Carlos Morán remains interior minister.
Russia: Oleg Khorokhordin takes office as head of the republic, chairman of the government of Altay.

Boschi
Mularoni
San Marino: Luca Boschi (Civic10) and Mariella Mularoni (Christian Democrat) take office as captains-regent.
Solomon Islands: In a cabinet reshuffle, Anthony Veke becomes minister of national security.
Turkmenistan: Mammetkhan Chakyev is appointed interior minister.

2


Jambon
Belgium: Jan Jambon is sworn in as minister-president of Flanders.
Indonesia: Former governor of Sulawesi Selatan (1992-2003) Zainal Basri Palaguna dies.

Gotsanyuk
Russia: Yury Gotsanyuk is appointed prime minister of Crimea.

3

Canada: Former premier of Nova Scotia (1978-90) John M. Buchanan dies.
Lesotho: In a cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Tom Thabane becomes defense minister and Mokhele Moletsane home affairs minister.
Portugal: Former foreign minister (1980-81, 2005-06) and acting prime minister (1980-81) Diogo Freitas do Amaral dies.
Russia: Kazbek Kokov takes office as head of the republic of Kabardino-Balkariya.

4

Romania: Prime Minister Viorica Dancila nominates several acting ministers, including Defense Minister Gabriel-Beniamin Les as acting interior minister. President Klaus Johannis rejects the proposals.

5

United Arab Emirates: In parliamentary elections (turnout 34.8%), 20 nonpartisans are elected. Another 20 members will be appointed by the rulers of the seven emirates.

6

Kosovo: In parliamentary elections, Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination) wins 26.2% of the vote (32 of 120 seats), the Democratic League of Kosovo 24.5% (29), the Democratic Party of Kosovo 21.2% (25), the coalition of Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and Social Democratic Party of Kosovo 11.5% (14), and the Serb List 6.8% (10). Turnout is 44.7%.
Portugal: In parliamentary elections, the Socialist Party wins 38.2% of the vote (108 of 226 seats), the Social Democratic Party 29.2% (79), the Left Bloc 10.0% (19), the Unitary Democratic Coalition 6.7% (12), the People's Party 4.4% (5), and People-Animals-Nature 3.5% (4). Turnout is 48.6%. On October 8 President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa asks Prime Minister António Costa to form a new government. On October 15 the cabinet is announced (sworn in October 26) with no change in key positions.
Tunisia: In parliamentary elections, Ennahda wins 52 of 217 seats, Heart of Tunisia 38, Democratic Current 22, the Dignity Coalition 21, the Free Destourian Party 17, the People's Movement 16, and Long Live Tunisia 14. Turnout is 41.7%.

7

Austria: President Alexander Van der Bellen asks Sebastian Kurz to form a government.

8

Angola: Vera Esperança dos Santos Daves is appointed finance minister.

Asadov
Wilmès
Azerbaijan: Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov resigns. Parliament votes unanimously to approve Ali Asadov as prime minister.
Belgium: King Philippe appoints Geert Bourgeois and Rudy Demotte as préformateurs to pave the way for the formation of a government. On October 27 Sophie Wilmès is appointed to replace Charles Michel as prime minister of the outgoing government.

Tu'i'onetoa
Tonga: King Tupou VI officially appoints Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa as prime minister. On October 10 the new cabinet is officially announced as having been appointed with effect from October 9, including Lord Ma'afu as armed forces minister, Vatau Hui as internal affairs minister, and Tevita Lavemaau as finance minister.

9

Georgia: The president of Abkhazia, Raul Khadjimba, is sworn in for his new term. On October 10 Prime Minister Valery Bganba resigns; Khadjimba reappoints him on October 14. On October 28 and 31 the key ministers are also reappointed.

10

Cuba: Miguel Díaz-Canel is elected to the new post of president (of the republic), receiving 579 votes from 580 deputies present. Salvador Valdés Mesa is elected vice president (569 votes).
Romania: Prime Minister Viorica Dancila loses a no-confidence vote which is passed 238-4 in the 465-seat parliament. On October 15 President Klaus Johannis asks Ludovic Orban to form a government. On October 24 Orban proposes a government including Bogdan Aurescu as foreign minister, Nicolae Ciuca as defense minister, Marcel Vela as interior minister, and Florin Cîtu as finance minister.

Smith
Sint Maarten: The Council of Ministers appoints Wycliffe Smith as caretaker prime minister.

11

United States: The acting secretary of homeland security, Kevin McAleenan, resigns.

13

Austria: In parliamentary elections in Vorarlberg, the Austrian People's Party wins 43.6% of the vote (17 of 36 seats), the Greens 18.8% (7), the Freedom Party 14.0% (5), the Social Democratic Party 9.5% (4), and New Austria 8.5% (3). Turnout is 60.6%.
Paraguay: Euclides Acevedo is named interior minister (sworn in October 14).
Poland: In parliamentary elections, Law and Justice wins 43.6% of the vote (235 of 460 seats), the Civic Coalition 27.4% (134), the Democratic Left Alliance 12.6% (49), the Polish People's Party 8.5% (30), and the Confederation Freedom and Independence 6.8% (11). Turnout is 61.7%.

Saïed
Bachtobji
Tunisia: In the presidential runoff, Kaïs Saïed wins 72.7% of the vote and Nabil Karoui 27.3%. Turnout is about 55%. Saïed is sworn in on October 23. On October 29 he approves the dismissal of Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui and Defense Minister Abdelkrim Zbidi; Sabri Bachtobji becomes acting foreign minister and Justice Minister Karim Jamoussi acting defense minister.

14

Mexico: Former governor of Michoacán (1974-80) Carlos Torres Manzo dies.

15

Mozambique: In presidential elections, incumbent Filipe Nyusi (Frelimo) wins 73.0% of the vote and Ossufo Momade (Renamo) 21.9%. Turnout is 50.7%. In parliamentary elections, Frelimo wins 184 of 250 seats and Renamo 60.
Switzerland: Former president of the government of Basel-Land (1986-87, 1989-90, 1993-94) Werner Spitteler dies.

17

Gibraltar: In parliamentary elections, the alliance of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party and Gibraltar Liberal Party wins 52.5% of the vote (10 of 17 seats [GSLP 7, GLP 3]), the Gibraltar Social Democrats 25.6% (6), and Together Gibraltar 20.5% (1). Turnout is 70.9%. On October 18 Fabian Picardo is again sworn in as chief minister. Ministerial portfolios are allocated on October 22, Picardo retaining finance and Joseph Garcia becoming responsible for external action.
United States: Energy Secretary Rick Perry's resignation, effective at the end of the year (subsequently specified to December 1), is announced. On October 18 President Donald Trump nominates Dan Brouillette to succeed Perry.

18

United States: Former governor of Michigan (1969-83) William G. Milliken dies.

19

Christmas Island: In elections to the Shire, 4 nonpartisan members are elected.
Cocos Islands: In elections to the Shire, 3 nonpartisan members are elected.

20

Bolivia: In presidential elections, incumbent Evo Morales (Movement to Socialism) wins 47.1% of the vote, former president Carlos Mesa (Civic Community) 36.5%, and Chi Hyun Chung (Christian Democratic Party) 8.8%. Turnout is about 88%. Morales is elected without runoff because his margin over the runner-up is more than 10%.
Finland: In parliamentary elections in the Åland Islands, the Åland Centre wins 27.9% of the vote (9 of 30 seats), the Liberals of Åland 19.6% (6), the Moderates of Åland 13.8% (4), the Independent Rally 13.6% (4), the Social Democrats 9.1% (3), and the Sustainable Initiative 8.3% (2). Turnout is 69.1%.
Indonesia: Joko Widodo is sworn in for his second term as president, with Ma'ruf Amin as vice president. On October 23 Widodo announces his cabinet with Prabowo Subianto as defense minister and Tito Karnavian as home affairs minister, while Retno Marsudi remains foreign minister and Sri Mulyani Indrawati finance minister.
Switzerland: In parliamentary elections, the Swiss People's Party wins 25.6% of the vote (53 of 200 seats), the Social Democratic Party 16.8% (39), the Liberal-Democratic Party 15.1% (29), the Greens 13.2% (28), the Christian Democratic People's Party 11.4% (25), the Green Liberal Party 7.8% (16), and the Conservative Democratic Party 2.4% (3). Turnout is 45.1%.

21

Canada: In parliamentary elections, the Conservative Party wins 34.4% of the vote (121 of 338 seats), the Liberal Party 33.1% (157), the New Democratic Party 15.9% (24), the Bloc Québécois 7.7% (32), and the Green Party 6.5% (3). Turnout is about 66%.
India: In parliamentary elections in Haryana, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins 36.5% of the vote (40 of 90 seats) and the Indian National Congress (INC) 28.1% (31); on October 27 Manohar Lal Khattar is again sworn in as chief minister. In Maharashtra, the BJP wins 25.8% of the vote (105 of 288 seats), the Nationalist Congress Party 16.7% (54), Shiv Sena 16.4% (56), and the INC 15.9% (44).
Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu returns his mandate to President Reuven Rivlin after failing to form a government. On October 23 Rivlin gives the mandate to Benny Gantz.
South Korea: Former foreign minister (1980-82) and prime minister (1985-87) Lho Shin Yong dies.

Anselmi
Monaco: Laurent Anselmi takes office as foreign minister.

22

Argentina: Former governor of Río Negro (2003-11) Miguel Saiz dies.

23


Zaman
Afghanistan: Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani resigns. On October 30 President Ashraf Ghani appoints Idrees Zaman as acting foreign minister.
Botswana: In parliamentary elections, the Botswana Democratic Party wins 52.8% of the vote (38 of 57 directly elected seats) and Umbrella for Democratic Change 36.4% (15). (With four extra members appointed by the governing party and two ex-officio members, the total is 63 seats.) Mokgweetsi Masisi is thereby reelected president.
Costa Rica: Finance Minister Rocío Aguilar resigns. On October 24 Rodolfo Cordero Vargas is named acting finance minister. On October 30 Rodrigo Chaves is designated as new minister.

Faysal
Saudi Arabia: Faysal ibn Farhan is named foreign minister (sworn in October 29).
Switzerland: Former Landammann of Solothurn (1989) Max Egger dies.

24

Sweden: Former governor of Västmanland (1980-85) Osborne Bartley dies.

25


Murmu
Mathur
India: Satya Pal Malik is appointed as governor of Goa, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai as governor of Mizoram, Girish Chandra Murmu as lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir, and Radha Krishna Mathur as lieutenant governor of Ladakh, the latter two sworn in on October 31 when these union territories come into existence.
India: Former chief minister of Gujarat (1997-98) Dilip Parikh dies.

26

Chile: President Sebastián Piñera asks all his ministers to resign. On October 28 he appoints Gonzalo Blumel as interior minister and Ignacio Briones as finance minister.

27

Argentina: In presidential elections, Alberto Fernández (Frente de Todos) wins about 48% of the vote, incumbent Mauricio Macri (Juntos por el Cambio) about 40%, and Roberto Lavagna (Consenso Federal) about 6%. Turnout is about 81%. Results of gubernatorial elections: Germany: In state elections in Thüringen, the Left wins 31.0% of the vote (29 of 90 seats), the Alternative for Germany 23.4% (22), the Christian Democratic Union 21.7% (21), the Social Democratic Party 8.2% (8), the Greens 5.2% (5), and the Free Democratic Party 5.0% (5). Turnout is 64.9%.
Italy: In presidential elections in Umbria, Donatella Tesei (centre-right) wins 57.6% of the vote and Vincenzo Bianconi (centre-left and Five Star Movement) 37.5%. Turnout is 64.7%.
Oman: In parliamentary elections, 86 nonpartisan members are elected. Turnout is 49.0%.
Uruguay: In the first round of presidential elections, Daniel Martínez (Broad Front) wins 40.7% of the vote, Luis Lacalle Pou (National Party) 29.7%, Ernesto Talvi (Colorado Party) 12.8%, and Guido Manini Ríos (Open Cabildo) 11.3%. Turnout is 90.1%. A runoff will take place November 24. In parliamentary elections, the Broad Front wins 42 of 99 seats, the National Party 30, the Colorado Party 13, and Open Cabildo 11.

28


da Silva
Guinea-Bissau: President José Mário Vaz dissolves the government of Prime Minister Aristides Gomes, who says he will not respect the decision. On October 29 Vaz names Faustino Imbali as prime minister. On October 31 Imbali's government takes office, with Aristides Ocante da Silva as foreign minister, Eduardo Costa Sanhá as defense minister, António Suka Ntchama as interior minister, and Vítor Mandinga as finance minister.

29

International Atomic Energy Agency: Rafael Grossi (Argentina) is elected director-general, receiving 24 votes, against 10 for acting director-general Cornel Feruta (Romania). Grossi is expected to take office no later than Jan. 1, 2020.
Lebanon: Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigns. On October 30 President Michel Aoun asks the cabinet to continue in a caretaker role until a new government is formed.
United States: Former governor of Virginia (1986-90) Gerald L. Baliles dies.

30

Nigeria: Former governor of Lagos (1968-75) Mobolaji Johnson dies.