Rulers
March 2017
1
Lesotho: Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili loses a no-confidence vote in parliament.
Kheyre | 
Omar |
Somalia: Hassan Ali Kheyre is confirmed by parliament and sworn in as prime minister. On March 21 he names his cabinet with Yusuf Garaad Omar as foreign minister, Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed as defense minister, Abdi Farah Said as interior minister, and Abdirahman Duale Bayle as finance minister. On March 29 parliament approves the cabinet (224-15) and the ministers are sworn in.
Saleh |
The Sudan: Bakri Hassan Saleh is appointed to the reinstated post of prime minister (sworn in March 2).
United States: Ryan Zinke is confirmed by the Senate (68-31) and sworn in as secretary of the interior. On March 2 Ben Carson is confirmed (58-41) as secretary of housing and urban development and Rick Perry (62-37) as secretary of energy; both are sworn in the same day. On March 15 Dan Coats is confirmed as director of national intelligence (85-12); he is sworn in on March 16.
2
Ferreira |
Brazil: Aloysio Nunes Ferreira Filho is named foreign minister (taking office March 7).
United Kingdom: In parliamentary elections in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party wins 28.1% of the vote (28 of 90 seats), Sinn Féin 27.9% (27), the Ulster Unionist Party 12.9% (10), the Social Democratic and Labour Party 11.9% (12), and the Alliance Party 9.1% (8). Turnout is 64.8%.
3
Haiti: Former prime minister (1991) and president (1996-2001, 2006-11) René Préval dies.
Hutchinson |
Norfolk Island: Eric Hutchinson is appointed as administrator, effective April 1.
4
United States: Former agriculture secretary (1989-91) Clayton K. Yeutter dies.
6
Pisas |
Curaçao: Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia is named formateur of an interim government. On March 24 Gilmar Pisas is sworn in as prime minister, with Lourdes Alberto as finance minister. Pisas is to hold the post only temporarily while the screening of intended prime minister Charles Cooper is ongoing.
Papua New Guinea: Former governor of Eastern Highlands (1998-2000) Damson Lafana dies.
Sovaleni |
Tonga: Finance Minister 'Aisake Eke resigns. He is to be replaced by Tevita Lavemaau. Siaosi Sovaleni is to take up the foreign affairs portfolio. On March 9 the king gives his consent to the reshuffle (retroactive to March 6).
7
Federated States of Micronesia: In parliamentary elections, 10 nonpartisan members are elected.
United States: In mayoral elections in Los Angeles, incumbent Eric Garcetti wins 81.4% of the vote.
8
N.B. Singh | 
Adityanath |
India: In parliamentary elections in Manipur held on March 4 and 8, the Bharatiya Janata Party wins 36.3% of the vote (21 of 60 seats), the Indian National Congress 35.1% (28), the Naga People's Front 7.2% (4), and the National People's Party 5.1% (4); on March 13 Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh resigns and Nongthombam Biren Singh is chosen to succeed him (sworn in March 15). In elections in Uttar Pradesh held February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, and March 4 and 8, the Bharatiya Janata Party wins 39.7% of the vote (312 of 403 seats), the Bahujan Samaj Party 22.2% (19), the Samajwadi Party 21.8% (47), and the Indian National Congress 6.2% (7); Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav resigns on March 11, and on March 18 Yogi Adityanath is designated as chief minister (sworn in March 19).
Nigeria: Former governor of Western region (1966-67) and Western state (1968-71) Robert Adeyinka Adebayo dies.
Philippines: A parliamentary commission rejects the appointment of Perfecto Yasay, Jr., as foreign secretary, effectively dismissing him. On March 9 President Rodrigo Duterte appoints Enrique Manalo as acting secretary.
9
European Union: Donald Tusk is reelected (27-1) as president of the European Council.
Nigeria: Former administrator (1967-68) and governor (1968-75) of Mid-Western state and governor of Bendel (1983) Samuel Ogbemudia dies.
10
Congo (Kinshasa): The Constitutional Court nullifies the October 2016 no-confidence vote of the provincial assembly of Tshuapa and reinstates Cyprien Lomboto as governor.
Isle of Man: Former lieutenant governor (1980-85) Sir Nigel Cecil dies.
Italy: Pierluigi Marquis is elected president of Valle d'Aosta (18 votes) in a constructive vote of no confidence in President Augusto Rollandin.
South Korea: The Constitutional Court upholds the Dec. 9, 2016, parliamentary impeachment of President Park Geun Hye and definitively removes her from office.
Mexico: Former governor of Chiapas (1982-88) Absalón Castellanos Domínguez dies.
11
McGowan |
Australia: In parliamentary elections in Western Australia, the Labor Party wins 42.2% of the vote (41 of 59 seats), the Liberal Party 31.2% (13), the Greens 8.9% (0), the National Party 5.4% (5), and One Nation 4.9% (0). Turnout is 86.9%. On March 17 Mark McGowan is sworn in as premier.
France: Former president of the Regional Council of Champagne-Ardenne (1998-2004) Jean-Claude Étienne dies.
T.S. Rawat |
India: The chief ministers of Goa and Uttarakhand, Laxmikant Parsekar and Harish Rawat, resign. On March 12 Manohar Parrikar is appointed chief minister of Goa (resigning as defense minister on March 13, the portfolio being given to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley; then sworn in on March 14 and winning a confidence vote, 22-16, in the state assembly on March 16) and Parkash Singh Badal resigns as chief minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh being designated as chief minister (sworn in March 16). On March 17 Trivendra Singh Rawat is designated as chief minister of Uttarakhand (sworn in March 18).
12
Georgia: In the first round of parliamentary elections in Abkhazia (turnout about 56%), 12 members are elected (of a total of 35 seats). A second round is necessary in 22 constituencies and the election will be re-run in one district due to irregularities. Of the 34 seats decided after the second round on March 26, independents have 30, the Forum for the National Unity of Abkhazia 3, and the Ainar party 1.
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Former governor (1975-81) Sir Probyn Inniss dies.
13
Albania: In a cabinet reshuffle, Fatmir Xhafaj is named interior minister. He is endorsed by parliament (76-0) on March 23 and sworn in on March 24.
Lafontant | 
Rodrigue |
Haiti: Prime minister-designate Jack Guy Lafontant presents his cabinet nominations, including Antonio Rodrigue as foreign minister, Hervé Denis as defense minister, Max Rudolph Saint-Albin as interior minister, and Jude Alix Patrick Salomon as finance minister. Lafontant wins confidence votes in the Senate (20-0) on March 16 and the Chamber of Deputies (95-6) on March 21, being sworn in that same day.
Hungary: Parliament reelects János Áder as president. In the first round of voting, with a two-thirds majority (133 of 199 members) required, he receives 131 votes against 44 for László Majtényi; in the second, with a simple majority sufficient, the vote is 131-39.
Dalton |
Jersey: Sir Stephen Dalton is sworn in as lieutenant governor.
14
African Union: Moussa Faki takes office as chairman of the Commission.
Kyrgyzstan: Mirbek Kasymkulov is appointed head of the State Committee for Defense Affairs.
15
Colombia: Vice President Germán Vargas Lleras resigns, effective March 21. Gen. Óscar Naranjo has already been designated to succeed him.
Morocco: King Muhammad VI dismisses Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, who was unable to form a new government following the October 2016 elections. On March 17 the king names Saadeddine El Othmani as prime minister.
The Netherlands: In parliamentary elections, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy wins 21.3% of the vote (33 of 150 seats), the Party for Freedom 13.1% (20), the Christian Democratic Appeal 12.5% (19), Democrats 66 12% (19), the Socialist Party 9.2% (14), Green Left 8.9% (14), the Labour Party 5.7% (9), the Christian Union 3.4% (5), the Party for the Animals 3.1% (5), and 50PLUS 3.1% (4). Turnout is 80.4%.
17
Lithuania: Former prime minister (1996) Laurynas Mindaugas Stankevicius dies.
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Saratov oblast, Valery Radayev, whose regular term would have expired April 5, and appoints him as acting governor until elections.
Uzbekistan: Former chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1978-83) and first secretary of the Communist Party (1983-88) of the Uzbek S.S.R. Inamdzhan Usmankhodzhayev dies.
19
Germany: Frank-Walter Steinmeier takes office as president.
Saint-Barthélemy: In elections to the Territorial Council, Saint-Barth d'abord wins 53.7% of the vote (14 of 19 seats), Unis pour Saint-Barthélemy 20.6% (2), Saint-Barth autrement 18.1% (2), and Tous pour Saint-Barth 7.7% (1). Turnout is 67.3%.
Saint-Martin: In the first round of elections to the Territorial Council, Team Gibbs 2017 wins 49% of the vote, Mouvement pour la justice et la prospérité 13.7%, En marche vers le progrès 12.3%, Generation Hope 8.7%, and Continuons pour Saint-Martin 6.4%; turnout is 42.7%. In the second round on March 26, Team Gibbs 2017 wins 64.3% of the vote (18 of 23 seats), Mouvement pour la justice et la prospérité 24.1% (4), and En marche vers le progrès 11.5% (1); turnout is 45.5%.
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: In territorial elections, Archipel Demain wins 70.2% of the vote (17 of 19 seats) and Cap sur l'Avenir 29.8% (2). Turnout is 71.6%.
20
Timor-Leste: In presidential elections, Francisco Guterres (Fretilin) wins 57.1% of the vote and António da Conceição (Democratic Party) 32.5%. Turnout is 71.2%. Guterres will take office May 20.
21
France: Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux resigns. He is replaced by Matthias Fekl (taking office March 22).
23
Argentina: Former governor of Chubut (1976-78) and La Pampa (1978-81) Julio César Etchegoyen dies.
24
Argentina: Pedro Salvatori, former federal interventor (1972-73) and governor (1973, 1987-91) of Neuquén, dies.
25
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Former governor-general (1996-2013) Sir Cuthbert Sebastian dies.
26
Bulgaria: In parliamentary elections, Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria wins 32.7% of the vote (95 of 240 seats), the Bulgarian Socialist Party 27.2% (80), United Patriots 9.1% (27), the Movement for Rights and Freedoms 9% (26), and Volya 4.1% (12).
China: Carrie Lam is elected as chief executive of Hong Kong with 777 votes in the 1,194-member election committee, defeating John Tsang (365) and Woo Kwok-hing (21). She will take office on July 1.
Germany: In parliamentary elections in Saarland, the Christian Democratic Union wins 40.7% of the vote (24 of 51 seats), the Social Democratic Party 29.6% (17), the Left 12.9% (7), the Alternative for Germany 6.2% (3), the Greens 4% (0), and the Free Democratic Party 3.3% (0). Turnout is 69.7%.
Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Chiba, incumbent Kensaku Morita wins 68.9% of the vote and Hideki Matsuzaki 21.8%. Turnout is 31.2%.
Wallis and Futuna: In elections to the Territorial Assembly, 2 members are elected from the list Fia gaue fakatahi kihe kaha'u e lelei and 1 each from 18 other lists (20 seats total). Turnout is 88.8%.
27
Benin: The minister-delegate in charge of defense, Candide Azannaï, resigns.
Honduras: María Dolores Agüero (acting in the post since April 2016) is named foreign minister.
Chepik |
Russia: Aleksandr Chepik is appointed prime minister of Karelia.
30
Liechtenstein: Adrian Hasler is reelected head of government (17 votes). He also remains finance minister and Aurelia Frick foreign minister, while Dominique Gantenbein becomes interior minister.
31
South Africa: In a cabinet reshuffle, Malusi Gigaba becomes finance minister and Hlengiwe Mkhize home affairs minister.
United States: Former transportation secretary (1975-77) William T. Coleman, Jr., dies.