Rulers
May 2011
1
Costa Rica: Mario Zamora takes office as public security minister.
Switzerland: Jacques Melly becomes president of the Council of State of Valais.
2
Baird |
Canada: In parliamentary elections, the Conservative Party wins 39.6% of the vote (166 of 308 seats), the New Democratic Party 30.6% (103), the Liberal Party 18.9% (34), the Bloc Québécois 6% (4), and the Green Party 3.9% (1). On May 18 Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces his new cabinet with John Baird as foreign minister.
3
Benin: Former foreign minister (1984-87) Frédéric Affo dies.
Guatemala: Brig.Gen. Juan José Ruiz Morales is sworn in as defense minister.
United States: In mayoral elections in Denver, Chris Romer wins 28.5% of the vote, Michael B. Hancock 27.1%, James Mejia 25.7%, and Doug Linkhart 9.4%. A runoff is to be held on June 7.
4
France: Former president of the Regional Council of Champagne-Ardenne (1981-88) Bernard Stasi dies.
Gamlin |
India: The chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Dorjee Khandu, is found dead in the wreckage of the helicopter he was travelling in, which went missing, and evidently crashed, on April 30. On May 5 Jarbom Gamlin is sworn in as chief minister.
Nepal: Upendra Yadav is sworn in as foreign minister and Krishna Bahadur Mahara as home affairs minister.
5
United Kingdom: In parliamentary elections in Scotland, the Scottish National Party wins 45.4% of the vote (69 of 129 seats), the Labour Party 31.7% (37), the Conservative Party 13.9% (15), and the Liberal Democrats 7.9% (5); turnout is 50%. In Wales, the Labour Party wins 42.3% of the vote (30 of 60 seats), the Conservative Party 25% (14), Plaid Cymru 19.3% (11), and the Liberal Democrats 10.6% (5); turnout is 42.2%. In Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party wins 30% of the vote (38 of 108 seats), Sinn Féin 26.9% (29), the Social Democratic and Labour Party 14.2% (14), the Ulster Unionist Party 13.2% (16), and the Alliance Party 7.7% (8); turnout is 54.5%.
6
South Korea: In a cabinet reshuffle, Bahk Jae Wan becomes finance minister.
7
Niue: In parliamentary elections, 20 nonpartisan members are elected. On May 16 Toke Talagi is reelected as premier (12 votes).
Singapore: In parliamentary elections, the People's Action Party wins 60.1% of the vote (81 of 87 seats), the Workers' Party 12.8% (6), and the National Solidarity Party 12% (0). Turnout is 93.1%.
8
Kuwait: Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Muhammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah announces his new cabinet, with no change in key portfolios. It is sworn in on May 10.
9
Bolivia: Former interim president (1979-80) Lidia Gueiler Tejada dies.
Brazil: Former governor of Acre (1961) José Altino Machado dies.
Chad: Former foreign minister (1975-78) Wadal Abdelkader Kamougue dies.
Nepal: Former foreign minister (1986-90) Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya dies.
Switzerland: Ursula Gut-Winterberger becomes president of the government of Zürich.
10
Djibouti: Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita and his cabinet resign. On May 11 Dileita is asked to form a new cabinet and on May 12 he announces its composition with Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed as defense minister, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh as finance minister, and Hassan Darar Houffaneh as interior minister; Mahamoud Ali Youssouf remains foreign minister.
Banerjee |
India: In state elections in West Bengal held April 18, 23, 27, and May 3, 7, and 10, the All India Trinamool Congress wins 184 of 294 seats, the Indian National Congress 42, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) 40, the All India Forward Bloc 11, and the Revolutionary Socialist Party 7. On May 20 Mamata Banerjee is sworn in as chief minister.
11
Martí | 
Saboya |
Andorra: Antoni Martí Petit is elected head of government, winning 21 votes in the 28-seat parliament. On May 12 he takes office and names his cabinet, including Gilbert Saboya Sunyé as foreign minister, Marc Vila Amigó as interior minister, and Jordi Cinca Mateos as finance minister.
Federated States of Micronesia: President Manny Mori is reelected unopposed by Congress.
12
Gallagher |
Australia: The chief minister of the Australian Capital Territory, Jon Stanhope, resigns. Deputy Chief Minister Katy Gallagher becomes acting chief minister and on May 16 is elected as the new chief minister.
Ecuador: Interior Minister Alfredo Vera resigns. On May 13 José Serrano is sworn in as interior minister.
Kretschmann |
Germany: Winfried Kretschmann is elected minister-president of Baden-Württemberg (73-65).
13
Vanuatu: A Court of Appeal nullifies the April 24 election of Serge Vohor as prime minister and restores the previous government of Sato Kilman because Vohor was elected by a simple majority (26 votes in the 52-member parliament) instead of the required absolute majority (27 votes). On May 14 Kilman appoints Alfred Carlot as foreign minister and George Wells as internal affairs minister. On May 20 the Kilman government survives a vote of no confidence in parliament, which is defeated 27-25.
14
Martelly |
Haiti: Michel Martelly is sworn in as president. Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive having resigned already on May 13, Martelly on May 15 names Daniel Gérard Rouzier as his choice for prime minister (officially nominated on May 20).
United States: In mayoral elections in Dallas, Mike Rawlings wins 40.9% of the vote, David Kunkle 31.9%, and Ron Natinsky 25.1%. A runoff will be held June 18. In San Antonio, Julián Castro is reelected with 81.4% of the vote; turnout is 7.1%.
15
Arab League: Nabil al-Arabi, the foreign minister of Egypt, is chosen as the next secretary-general, to take office July 1.
French Guiana: Former prefect (1967-70) Paul Bouteiller dies.
16
Belgium: Elio Di Rupo is asked to form a new government.
Labbé |
French Guiana: Denis Labbé takes office as prefect.
India: Jayaram Jayalalitha is sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu and N. Rangasamy as chief minister of Puducherry.
Panama: Former foreign minister (1958-60) Miguel J. Moreno dies.
United States: Rahm Emanuel is sworn in as mayor of Chicago.
17
Madagascar: Former prime minister (1991-93) Guy Razanamasy dies.
United States: In mayoral elections in Jacksonville, Alvin Brown (Democrat) defeats Mike Hogan (Republican) 50.4%-49.6%. Turnout is about 37%. Brown will take office July 1.
18
India: Oommen Chandy is sworn in as chief minister of Kerala.
International Monetary Fund: Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigns. John Lipsky already took over as acting managing director on May 15.
Shanmugam |
Singapore: In a cabinet reshuffle, Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam is named foreign minister, Ng Eng Hen defense minister, and Teo Chee Hean home affairs minister. The cabinet is sworn in on May 21.
19
Ireland: Former foreign minister (1973-77) and prime minister (1981-82, 1982-87) Garret FitzGerald dies.
Ilimbetov |
Russia: The president of Bashkortostan, Rustem Khamitov, appoints Azamat Ilimbetov as prime minister.
20
Japan: Former governor of Nara (1980-91) Shigekiyo Ueda dies.
21
Seychelles: In presidential elections held May 19-21, incumbent James Michel (Parti Lepep) wins 55% of the vote and Wavel Ramkalawan (Seychelles National Party) 41%.
22
Cyprus: In parliamentary elections, the Democratic Rally wins 34.3% of the vote (20 of 56 seats), the Progressive Party of Working People 32.7% (19), the Democratic Party 15.8% (9), the Movement of Social Democrats 8.9% (5), the European Party 3.9% (2), and the Green Party 2.2% (1). Turnout is 78.7%.
Germany: In state elections in Bremen, the Social Democratic Party wins 38.6% of the vote (36 of 83 seats), the Greens 22.5% (21), the Christian Democratic Union 20.3% (20), the Left 5.6% (5), Citizens in Rage 3.7% (1), and the Free Democratic Party 2.4% (0). Turnout is 55.4%.
Indonesia: Former governor of Jambi (1989-99) Abdurrachman Sayoeti dies.
Russia: Former prime minister of Sakha (1994-97) Yury Kaidyshev dies.
Spain: Results of elections in autonomous communities (IU=United Left; PP=Popular Party; PSOE=Spanish Socialist Workers' Party):
- Aragón: PP 39.7% of the votes (30 of 67 seats), PSOE 29% (22), Aragonese Party 9.2% (7), Aragonese Junta 8.2% (4), IU 6.2% (4)
- Asturias: PSOE 29.8% (15 of 45), Citizens' Forum 29.7% (16), PP 19.9% (10), IU-Greens 10.3% (4)
- Baleares: PP 46.4% (35 of 59), PSOE 21.4% (14), Socialist Party of Majorca-Green Initiative-Understanding for Majorca 8.6% (4), Socialist Party-Pact for Ibiza 3% (4)
- Canarias: PP 31.8% (21 of 60), Canarian Coalition 24.9% (21), PSOE 21% (15), New Canarias 9.1% (3)
- Cantabria: PP 46.1% (20 of 39), Regionalist Party of Cantabria 29.1% (12), PSOE 16.3% (7)
- Castilla-La Mancha: PP 48.1% (25 of 49), PSOE 43.4% (24), IU 3.8% (0)
- Castilla-León: PP 51.6% (53 of 84), PSOE 29.6% (29), IU 4.9% (1), Union of Leonese People 1.9% (1)
- Ceuta: PP 65.2% (18 of 25), Caballas Coalition 14.3% (4), PSOE 11.7% (3)
- Extremadura: PP-United Extremadura 46.2% (32 of 65), PSOE-Regionalists 43.5% (30), IU-Greens-Independent Socialists of Extremadura 5.6% (3)
- La Rioja: PP 51.9% (20 of 33), PSOE 30.3% (11), Riojan Party 5.4% (2)
- Madrid: PP 51.7% (72 of 129), PSOE 26.2% (36), IU-Cobeña Progress Initiative 9.6% (13), Union, Progress and Democracy 6.3% (8)
- Melilla: PP 53.9% (15 of 25), Coalition for Melilla 23.7% (6), PSOE 8.5% (2), Partido Populares en Libertad 6.8% (2)
- Murcia: PP 58.8% (33 of 45), PSOE 23.9% (11), IU-Greens 7.8% (1), Union, Progress and Democracy 4.5% (0)
- Navarra: Union of the Navarrese People 34.5% (19 of 50), PSOE 15.8% (9), Navarra Yes 15.4% (8), Bildu 13.3% (7), PP 7.3% (4), IU 5.7% (3)
- Valencia: PP 48.5% (55 of 99), PSOE 27.5% (33), Coalició Compromís 7% (6), IU 5.8% (5)
Vietnam: In parliamentary elections (turnout 99.5%), 458 of 500 seats go to Communist Party members.
23
Comoros: Mouigni Baraka Said Soilihi takes office as governor of Grande Comore and Anissi Chamsidine as governor of Anjouan.
24
Mbabazi |
Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni appoints Edward Ssekandi as vice president and Amama Mbabazi as prime minister. A new cabinet is announced on May 27 with Maria Kiwanuka as finance minister and Hilary Onek as internal affairs minister.
United States: In mayoral elections in Miami-Dade County, Julio Robaina wins 33.6% of the vote, Carlos Gimenez 28.8%, Marcelo Llorente 14.8%, and Luther Campbell 11%. A runoff will be held on June 28.
26
Dhoinine | 
Charif |
Comoros: Ikililou Dhoinine takes office as president. He appoints his cabinet on May 30 with Mohamed Bakri Ben Abdoulfatah Charif as foreign minister, M'Madi Ali as defense minister, Hamada Abdallah as interior minister, and Mohamed Ali Soilihi as finance minister.
Saint Lucia: Sir Stanislaus James, former governor-general (1988-96), dies.
28
Koupaki | 
Bako |
Benin: A new government is named including Pascal Koupaki as prime minister, Nassirou Bako Arifari as foreign minister, Benoît Assouan Dègla as interior minister, and Adidjatou Mathys as finance minister; Issifou Kogui N'Douro remains defense minister.
29
Argentina: In gubernatorial elections in La Rioja, incumbent Luis Beder Herrera wins 67.2% of the vote, Julio Martínez 19.6%, and Ángel Maza 10.9%. In complementary elections in Chubut called due to accusations of fraud in the March 20 elections, Martín Buzzi's narrow victory over Carlos Eliceche is confirmed.
Georgia: The president of Abkhazia, Sergey Bagapsh, dies. His deputy Aleksandr Ankvab becomes acting president.
Hungary: Former president (2000-05) Ferenc Mádl dies.
Nigeria: The following new governors take office: Kashim Shettima (Borno), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Rochas Anayo Okorocha (Imo), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Umaru Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), and Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari (Zamfara).
United States: Former governor of Texas (1979-83, 1987-91) William Clements dies.
31
Guernsey: Former lieutenant governor (1974-80) Sir John Martin dies.
United States: John Bryson is nominated to be commerce secretary.