May 2020

1

Brazil: Former governor of Pará (1961-64) Aurélio Correia do Carmo dies.
Kosovo: The Constitutional Court suspends the presidential decree nominating Avdullah Hoti as prime minister-designate. On May 28, however, it rules that the decree was constitutional.
Myanmar: Former prime minister (1988) Tun Tin dies.
Switzerland: Christophe Darbellay becomes president of the Council of State of Valais and Silvia Steiner president of the government of Zürich.
Tanzania: Former foreign minister (2015-19) Augustine Mahiga dies.

4

Brazil: Former governor of Alagoas (1979-82) Guilherme Gracindo Soares Palmeira dies.
Nigeria: Former governor of Sokoto (1981-83) Garba Nadama dies.
Northern Mariana Islands: Former governor (1994-98) Froilan C. Tenorio dies.

6

Switzerland: Norman Gobbi becomes president of the Council of State of Ticino.

Kadhimi

7

Croatia: Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic announces his resignation (accepted by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on May 8).
Iraq: Parliament approves 15 (out of a prospective 22) ministers presented by prime minister-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi, including Juma Anad as defense minister, Othman al-Ghanmi as interior minister, and Ali Allawi as finance minister; the vote on a foreign minister is postponed. Kadhimi is then sworn in as prime minister. On May 12 a decree (dated May 8) is published assigning the vacant ministries to other ministers on an interim basis; Kadhimi himself takes charge of foreign affairs.

Ashkenazi

Israel: The signatures of 72 Knesset members recommending that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu form the next government are submitted to President Reuven Rivlin, who gives Netanyahu a mandate accordingly. On May 17 the new government is approved by the Knesset (73-46) and sworn in, with Gabi Ashkenazi as foreign minister, Benny Gantz as defense minister, Yisrael Katz as finance minister, and Aryeh Deri remaining interior minister.

Majoro

Ramakoae

Lesotho: King Letsie III assents to legislation that prevents the prime minister from dissolving parliament and calling an election in the event of a no-confidence vote against him. Prime Minister Tom Thabane then says he may resign on May 29 instead of July 31. On May 8 Thabane survives a no-confidence vote which, with 59 votes, falls short of the 61 needed. On May 11, however, the parliament speaker announces the collapse of the governing majority, a new prime minister to be sworn in on May 22. On May 12 a new coalition nominates Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro as prime minister. On May 18 Thabane announces his resignation. Majoro is sworn in on May 20. He names his cabinet on May 21 (sworn in the same day), with 'Matsepo Ramakoae as foreign minister, Prince Maliehe as defense minister, Motlalentoa Letsosa as home affairs minister, and Thabo Sofonea as finance minister.
Peru: Congress accepts the resignation of Vice President Mercedes Aráoz.
Sierra Leone: President Julius Maada Bio appoints David Panda-Noah as interior minister. Parliament approves Panda-Noah on May 14; he is sworn in on May 15 and takes office May 18.

8

Burundi: Former foreign minister (2001-05) Thérence Sinunguruza dies.
Malawi: The Supreme Court rejects an appeal of President Peter Mutharika against the February 3 decision of the Constitutional Court and confirms that a majority of 50%+1 of the votes is required to be elected president, a condition not met by Mutharika in the May 2019 election. A new election (with the original candidates) is to go forward at the already scheduled date of July 2.

9

Congo (Kinshasa): Former governor of Kinshasa (1969-70), Kivu (1970-72), and Haut-Zaïre (1972) Geyoro Te Kule dies.

11

Russia: Former governor of Ryazan oblast (2008-17) Oleg Kovalev dies.

12

Laos: Former prime minister (1998-2001) Sisavath Keobounphanh dies.

13

Arab League: Former secretary-general (1979-90) Chedli Klibi dies.

Coulibaly

Côte d'Ivoire: In a cabinet reshuffle, Ally Coulibaly is named foreign minister.
The Sudan: Yassin Ibrahim is appointed as defense minister.
Timor-Leste: Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak names a restructured government including Fernando Hanjam as finance minister (taking office May 29).

14

Azerbaijan: The prime minister of Nakhichevan, Alovsat Bakhshiyev, is dismissed. On May 23 Sabuhi Mammadov is appointed prime minister.
Taiwan: Premier Su Tseng-chang announces the resignation of all cabinet members ahead of the May 20 inauguration of President Tsai Ing-wen for her second term. The new cabinet announced on May 19, however, is unchanged in key positions.
World Trade Organization: Director-General Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo announces his resignation, effective August 31.

17

Afghanistan: President Ashraf Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah sign a power-sharing agreement putting an end to Abdullah's claim to the presidency.
Brazil: Former governor of Paraíba (1983-86) Wilson Leite Braga dies.
Malaysia: The chief minister of Kedah, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, resigns. Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor is appointed and sworn in as chief minister the same day.

18

Brazil: Former governor of São Paulo (1966-67 [acting], 1971-75) Laudo Natel dies.
Kazakhstan: Yerulan Zhamaubayev is appointed finance minister.
Monaco: Prince Albert II names Pierre Dartout as minister of state, effective September 1.

19

United States: In mayoral elections in Portland, incumbent Ted Wheeler wins 49.4% of the vote and Sarah Iannarone 23.8%. A runoff will be held on November 3.

20

Burundi: In presidential elections, Evariste Ndayishimiye of the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) wins 68.7% of the vote and Agathon Rwasa of the National Congress for Liberty (CNL) 24.2%. Turnout is 87.7%. In parliamentary elections, the CNDD-FDD wins 68.0% of the vote (72 of 100 elected seats) and the CNL 22.4% (27). (With 24 co-opted members, the total is 124.)
Pakistan: Former governor of Balochistan (1999) Syed Fazal Agha dies.
San Marino: Former captain-regent (1987-88, 2000-01, 2006, 2014-15) Gian Franco Terenzi dies.
Thailand: Former foreign minister (2011-14) Surapong Tovichakchaikul dies.

21

Azerbaijan: Araik Arutyunyan is sworn in as president of Artsakh. On May 29 Masis Mayilyan is reappointed as foreign minister.

22

Kiribati: Parliament selects incumbent Taneti Maamau and Banuera Berina as the candidates for the presidential election to be held on June 22.
Ukraine: Former prime minister of Crimea (2005) Anatoliy Matvienko dies.

23

India: Former acting governor of Himachal Pradesh (1994) Viswanathan Ratnam dies.

25

South Korea: Former prime minister (1992-93) Hyun Soong Jong dies.
Suriname: In parliamentary elections, the Progressive Reform Party wins 21 of 51 seats, the National Democratic Party 15, the General Liberation and Development Party 9, and the National Party of Suriname 4.

26

Switzerland: Former president of the government of Bern (1977-78, 1987-88) Bernhard Müller dies.

28

Costa Rica: Finance Minister Rodrigo Chaves resigns. In a cabinet reshuffle on May 28, Elián Villegas is named finance minister, effective June 1.

29

Congo (Kinshasa): The Constitutional Court upholds the Dec. 4, 2019, no-confidence vote against the governor of Kongo Central, Atou Matubuana Nkuluki.

Lynge

Greenland: In a cabinet reshuffle, Steen Lynge becomes foreign minister.
India: Former chief minister of Chhattisgarh (2000-03) Ajit Jogi dies.
Jordan: Former foreign minister (1991-93) Kamel Abu Jaber dies.
Morocco: Former prime minister (1998-2002) Abderrahmane Youssoufi dies.

30

Guernsey: Former lieutenant governor (1994-2000) Sir John Coward dies.
Niue: In parliamentary elections, 20 nonpartisan members are elected (including 3 unopposed). Premier Sir Toke Talagi loses his seat.
Sri Lanka: Marshal Perera, former governor of Sabaragamuwa (2015-18), Southern (2018-19), and Uva (2019) provinces, dies.
Togo: Former prime minister (2006-07) Yawovi Agboyibo dies.