Rulers

March 2023

1


Kombos
Cyprus: The new cabinet, including Konstantinos Kombos as foreign minister (see February 5), is sworn in.

2


Rocca
Vo
Italy: Francesco Rocca takes office as president of Lazio.
Vietnam: Vo Van Thuong is elected by parliament (487 of 488 votes) and sworn in as president.

3

India: After the announcement of February state election results, Conrad Sangma and Manik Saha resign as chief ministers of Meghalaya and Tripura respectively, followed on March 4 by Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland. Sangma and Rio are sworn in again on March 7 and Saha on March 8.

Kakar
Pakistan: Malik Abdul Wali Kakar is appointed as governor of Balochistan (sworn in March 5).

Deng Malek
South Sudan: President Salva Kiir dismisses Defense Minister Angelina Teny and Interior Minister Mahmoud Solomon Agook. On March 8 Kiir dismisses Foreign Minister Mayiik Ayii Deng and appoints the deputy minister, Deng Dau Deng Malek, as acting foreign minister. On March 29 Kiir appoints Gen. Chol Thon Balok as defense minister (sworn in March 30).

4

United States: Former governor of Idaho (1995-99) Phil Batt dies.

5

Austria: In state elections in Kärnten, the Social Democratic Party wins 38.9% of the vote (15 of 36 seats), the Freedom Party 24.6% (9), the Austrian People's Party 17.0% (7), Team Kärnten 10.1 (5), and the Greens 3.9% (0). Turnout is 71.6%.
Estonia: In parliamentary elections, the Reform Party wins 31.2% of the vote (37 of 101 seats), the Conservative People's Party 16.1% (17), the Centre Party 15.3% (16), Estonia 200 13.3% (14), the Social Democratic Party 9.3% (9), and Isamaa 8.2% (8). Turnout is 63.5%.
Indonesia: Former governor of Sumatera Barat (1977-87) Azwar Anas dies.
Kuwait: The emir reappoints Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah as prime minister.
Switzerland: Former Landammann of Aargau (2001-02, 2006-07) Kurt Wernli dies.

7

Federated States of Micronesia: In parliamentary elections, 14 nonpartisans are elected. President David Panuelo loses his seat.
Qatar: The emir accepts the resignation of the prime minister and interior minister, Sheikh Khalid ibn Khalifa ibn Abdul Aziz Al Thani. Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Rahman Al Thani is appointed and sworn in as prime minister. Sheikh Khalifa ibn Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani becomes interior minister.
United States: In mayoral elections in Tampa, incumbent Jane Castor wins 80.1% of the vote, with 19.9% write-in votes. Turnout is 13.6%.

8


Pavel
Czech Republic: President Milos Zeman leaves office. On March 9 Petr Pavel is sworn in as president.

Poudel

9

Guinea-Bissau: In a cabinet reshuffle, Soares Sambú is named interior minister.
Nepal: Ram Chandra Poudel is elected president by federal and provincial lawmakers, with a vote score of 33,802, against 15,518 for Subas Nembang. He is sworn in on March 13.

10


van Klaveren
Chile: In a cabinet reshuffle, Alberto van Klaveren is appointed as foreign minister.

Han
Li Q.
China: Parliament reelects Xi Jinping as president (2,952-0). Han Zheng is elected vice president. On March 11 Li Qiang is elected (2,936-3) and sworn in as premier. On March 12 the cabinet members are elected, with Gen. Li Shangfu as defense minister, other key portfolios being unchanged.

11

United States: Julie A. Su becomes acting labor secretary.

15

Bonaire: In elections to the Island Council, the Bonaire Democratic Party wins 38.9% of the vote (3 of 9 seats), the Bonaire Patriotic Union 28.4% (3), and the Movement of Bonaire People 19.9% (2).
Japan: Former foreign minister (1989-91) Taro Nakayama dies.
Papua New Guinea: Sir Bob Dadae is sworn in for a second term as governor-general (Speaker Job Pomat was acting in the interim after his first term expired February 28).

Kuznetsov
Russia: President Vladimir Putin appoints Vladislav Kuznetsov acting governor of Chukotka autonomous okrug.
Saba: In elections to the Island Council, the Windward Islands People's Movement wins 59.3% of the vote (3 of 5 seats) and the Party for Progress, Equality and Prosperity 31.2% (2).
Sint Eustatius: In elections to the Island Council, the Progressive Labour Party wins 55.7% of the vote (3 of 5 seats) and the Democratic Party 37.7% (2).

16

Algeria: In a cabinet reshuffle, Ahmed Attaf is appointed as foreign minister and Laaziz Fayed as finance minister.
Ecuador: 59 members of parliament sign a petition for an impeachment trial against President Guillermo Lasso. On March 24 parliament sends that petition to the Constitutional Court, which on March 29 rules in favour of the admissibility of the petition and authorizes the launch of the impeachment process in the parliament.
Montenegro: President Milo Djukanovic dissolves parliament. On March 17 he schedules new elections for June 11.
Saint Helena: The administrator of Tristan da Cunha, Sean Burns, dies. James Glass has already been acting administrator. On March 22 Lorraine Repetto is sworn in as acting administrator.

Anokhin

17

Russia: Vasily Anokhin is appointed acting governor of Smolensk oblast.
Tunisia: Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine resigns. Kamal Feki is named in his place (sworn in March 18).

18

Nigeria: Winners of gubernatorial elections (APC=All Progressives Congress, PDP=People's Democratic Party):

19

Kazakhstan: In parliamentary elections, Amanat wins 53.9% of the vote (62 of 98 seats), the Auyl People's Democratic Patriotic Party 10.9% (8), Respublica 8.6% (6), the Ak Zhol Democratic Party 8.4% (6), the People's Party 6.8% (5), and the National Social Democratic Party 5.2% (4). Turnout is 52.9%. Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov's government resigns on March 29. On March 30 parliament endorses (82-7) the reappointment of Smailov.
Kuwait: The Constitutional Court voids the September 2022 parliamentary elections and reinstates the previous parliament.
Montenegro: In the first round of presidential elections, incumbent Milo Djukanovic wins 35.3% of the vote, Jakov Milatovic 29.2%, Andrija Mandic 19.3%, and Aleksa Becic 10.9%. Turnout is 64.1%. The runoff will be held April 2.
Tonga: Former prime minister and foreign minister (2019-21) Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa dies.

20

France: Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne's government survives two more no-confidence motions, which receive 278 and 94 votes respectively (287 needed).
Italy: Former president of Marche (1993-95) Gaetano Recchi dies.
Nepal: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal wins a confidence vote in parliament (172-89).

Kangaloo
Trinidad and Tobago: Christine Kangaloo is sworn in as president.

21

United States: In mayoral elections in Jacksonville, Donna Deegan (Democrat) wins 39.4% of the vote, Daniel Davis (Republican) 24.7%, Al Ferraro (Rep.) 16.2%, Audrey Gibson (Dem.) 8.6%, and LeAnna Cumber (Rep.) 7.6%. Turnout is 25.7%. A runoff will be held May 16.

22

Afghanistan: Mullah Mohammad Nasser Akhund becomes acting finance minister.
Congo (Kinshasa): The Constitutional Court invalidates the Nov. 24, 2022, no-confidence vote against the governor of Sud-Kivu, Théo Ngwabidje Kasi, and reinstates him in office.
Spain: The government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez survives a no-confidence vote (rejected 201-53 with 91 abstentions).

23

Congo (Kinshasa): In a cabinet reshuffle, Jean-Pierre Bemba is appointed defense minister and Peter Kazadi interior minister.
Montserrat: Sir Howard A. Fergus, former acting governor (2001, 2004, 2007), dies.

24

Switzerland: Former president of the Council of State of Vaud (1982, 1988) Marcel Blanc dies.

25


Minns
Australia: In parliamentary elections in New South Wales, the Labor Party wins 37.0% of the vote (45 of 93 seats), the Liberal-National coalition 35.4% (36), the Greens 9.7% (3), and independents 8.8% (9). Turnout is 88.0%. On March 28 Chris Minns is sworn in as premier.
Mozambique: Former foreign minister (1987-94) and prime minister (1994-2004) Pascoal Mocumbi dies.

26

Cuba: In parliamentary elections, all 470 candidates are elected. Turnout is 75.9%.
Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
Nigeria: Former governor of Ogun (1984-85) Oladipo Diya dies.
Turkmenistan: In parliamentary elections, the Democratic Party wins 65 of 125 seats, the Agrarian Party 24, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 18, and independents 18. Turnout is 91.1%.

27

Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government survives two no-confidence votes (rejected 59-53 and 60-51).

Yousaf

28

United Kingdom: The Scottish Parliament elects Humza Yousaf (Scottish National Party) as first minister. He receives 71 votes, against 31 for Douglas Ross (Conservative) and 22 for Anas Sarwar (Labour). He is sworn in on March 29.

29

Cayman Islands: Governor Martyn Roper departs. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson becomes acting governor.
Ireland: The government of Prime Minister Leo Varadkar survives a no-confidence vote (rejected 86-67).

Ab Rauf
Malaysia: The resignation of the chief minister of Malacca, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali, is announced. On March 30 Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh is nominated as chief minister (sworn in March 31).

Khotsenko
Russia: President Vladimir Putin accepts the resignation of the governor of Omsk oblast, Aleksandr Burkov, and appoints Vitaly Khotsenko as acting governor. On March 30 Yevgeny Solntsev is appointed to replace Khotsenko as prime minister of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Turks and Caicos Islands: Anya Williams is sworn in as acting governor for the period until June 29.

31

Indonesia: Suganda Pandapotan Pasaribu is sworn in as acting governor of Bangka Belitung.
Nepal: In a cabinet reshuffle, Purna Bahadur Khadka is sworn in as defense minister, Narayan Kaji Shrestha as home affairs minister, and Prakash Sharan Mahat as finance minister.
Papua New Guinea: Sir Rabbie Namaliu, former foreign minister (1982-84, 2002-06) and prime minister (1988-92), dies.