Rulers
December 2023
1
Russia: Former head of the administration of Voronezh oblast (1991-92) Viktor Kalashnikov dies.
2
Rwanda: Former prime minister (1994-95) Faustin Twagiramungu dies.
3
Reddy | 
Lalduhoma | 
Sai | 
Yadav | 
Sharma |
India: On the announcement of November state election results, the chief ministers of Chhattisgarh (Bhupesh Baghel), Rajasthan (Ashok Gehlot), and Telangana (Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao) resign, followed on December 4 by that of Mizoram (Zoramthanga). On December 5 Anumula Revanth Reddy is chosen to be chief minister of Telangana (sworn in December 7) and Lalduhoma to be chief minister of Mizoram (sworn in December 8). On December 10 Vishnu Deo Sai is designated chief minister of Chhattisgarh (sworn in December 13). On December 11 the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, resigns and Mohan Yadav is chosen to succeed him (sworn in December 13). On December 12 Bhajan Lal Sharma is chosen to be chief minister of Rajasthan (sworn in December 15).
4
France: Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne's government survives another no-confidence motion, which receives 108 votes (289 needed), and further ones on December 16 (75 votes), December 18 (110 votes), and December 21 (116 votes).
Guinea-Bissau: President Umaro Sissoco Embaló dissolves parliament. In a cabinet reshuffle, he takes over the defense portfolio, while Prime Minister Geraldo Martins is assigned finance. On December 12 Martins is reappointed as prime minister, but already on December 20 he is dismissed, and Rui Duarte de Barros is named in his place; his cabinet includes Botche Candé as interior minister and Ilídio Vieira Té as finance minister, while Carlos Pinto Pereira remains foreign minister and Nicolau dos Santos defense minister.
Italy: Former acting president of Sicilia (1980) Gaetano Giuliano dies.
South Korea: President Yoon Suk Yeol names Choi Sang Mok as finance minister.
7
Macri |
Argentina: Jorge Macri is sworn in as chief of government of Buenos Aires city.
Azerbaijan: President Ilham Aliyev announces early presidential elections for Feb. 7, 2024.
Simpson |
Canada: The Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories elects R.J. Simpson as premier. He defeats Kieron Testart in a second round of balloting (they were tied in the first round). He is sworn in on December 8.
Canada: Manon Jeannotte is appointed as lieutenant governor of Quebec.
9
Argentina: Leandro Zdero is sworn in as governor of Chaco, Ignacio Torres as governor of Chubut, and Alfredo Cornejo as governor of Mendoza.
Switzerland: Former Schultheiss of Luzern (1983, 1989) Robert Bühler dies.
United States: In the mayoral runoff in Houston, John Whitmire wins 64.4% of the vote and Sheila Jackson Lee 35.6%.
10
Argentina: Javier Milei takes office as president with Nicolás Posse as cabinet chief, Diana Mondino as foreign minister, Luis Petri as defense minister, Patricia Bullrich as security minister, Guillermo Francos as interior minister, and Luis Caputo as economy minister. Martín Llaryora takes office as governor of Córdoba, Carlos Sadir as governor of Jujuy, Hugo Passalacqua as governor of Misiones, Rolando Figueroa as governor of Neuquén, Alberto Weretilneck as governor of Río Negro, Marcelo Orrego as governor of San Juan, Claudio Poggi as governor of San Luis, and Claudio Vidal as governor of Santa Cruz.
Milei | 
Posse | 
Mondino | 
Llaryora | 
Sadir | 
Passalacqua | 
Figueroa | 
Orrego | 
Poggi | 
Vidal |
Miles |
Australia: The premier of Queensland, Annastacia Palaszczuk, announces her resignation. On December 15 Steven Miles is sworn in as premier.
United States: Former governor of Kentucky (1974-79) Julian M. Carroll dies.
11
Frigerio | 
Pullaro |
Argentina: Rogelio Frigerio takes office as governor of Entre Ríos and Maximiliano Pullaro as governor of Santa Fe.
Finland: Katrin Sjögren (Liberal) is elected lantråd of the Åland Islands (21-0).
France: Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin offers his resignation but President Emmanuel Macron refuses it.
Gabon: Former prime minister (1994-99) Paulin Obame-Nguema dies.
India: The Supreme Court upholds the validity of the 2019 revocation of the special autonomy status of Jammu and Kashmir, but rules that the union territory shall be restored to statehood as soon as possible, and elections be held by Sept. 30, 2024.
Mohamad Hasan |
Malaysia: In a cabinet reshuffle, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is appointed as foreign minister and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin as defense minister.
Poland: The government of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki loses a confidence vote (rejected 266-190). Donald Tusk is then elected prime minister (248-201). On December 12 he nominates a government including Radoslaw Sikorski as foreign minister, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz as defense minister, Marcin Kierwinski as interior minister, and Andrzej Domanski as finance minister, which wins a confidence vote (248-201). The government is sworn in on December 13.
12
Egypt: In presidential elections held December 10-12, incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi wins 89.6% of the vote. Turnout is 66.8%.
Federated States of Micronesia: In the gubernatorial runoff in Pohnpei, Stevenson A. Joseph wins 53.7% of the vote and Reed B. Oliver 46.3%.
13
Canada: Bonnie Crombie resigns as mayor of Mississauga, effective Jan. 12, 2024.
Guernsey: The Policy and Resources Committee headed by Peter Ferbrache is defeated in a no-confidence vote (23-16). Lyndon Trott is elected in his place, defeating Rob Prow in a third round of voting (21-19).
Japan: The lower house rejects a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government. On December 14 four ministers resign, including Interior Minister Junji Suzuki, who is replaced by Takeaki Matsumoto.
The Netherlands: Ronald Plasterk is appointed as informateur in the cabinet formation process.
Switzerland: Beat Jans is elected as federal councillor (134 of 245 votes in a third round of voting) to succeed Alain Berset, the other councillors being reelected. Viola Amherd is elected president for 2024 (158 of 204 votes) and Karin Keller-Sutter vice president (138 of 196 votes). On December 14 the portfolios are allocated, with Elisabeth Baume-Schneider to become interior minister. On the same date Lukas Engelberger becomes acting president of the government of Basel-Stadt, as Jans resigned as president of the government.
United Kingdom: The first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, announces he will resign in March 2024.
14
Canada: Margaret M. Thom is reappointed as commissioner of the Northwest Territories for four months (beginning December 26).
Nigeria: Former governor of Anambra (1992-93) Chukwuemeka Ezeife dies.
15
Pakistan: The resignation of Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti is accepted.
16
Mishal |
Kuwait: The emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jabir Al Sabah, dies. Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jabir Al Sabah succeeds (and is sworn in before parliament on December 20, on which date he also accepts the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah).
Madagascar: Andry Rajoelina is sworn in as president. On December 20 the government of Prime Minister Christian Ntsay resigns.
Saint Helena: Former governor (1984-88) Francis Baker dies.
17
Traoré |
Burkina Faso: Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré is appointed foreign minister.
Serbia: In parliamentary elections, Serbia Must Not Stop (list including the Serbian Progressive Party) wins 48.0% of the vote (128 of 250 seats), Serbia Against Violence 24.4% (65), the list of Ivica Dacic (including the Socialist Party of Serbia) 6.7% (18), the list of Milos Jovanovic 5.2% (13), and We-Voice from the People 4.8% (13); turnout is 58.8%. In elections in Vojvodina, Vojvodina Must Not Stop wins 48.8% of the vote (67 of 120 seats), Serbia Against Violence 22.5% (30), the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians 6.7% (8), the list of Milos Jovanovic 5.3% (7), and the list of Ivica Dacic 5.2% (7); turnout is 59.0%.
18
Somalia: Foreign Minister Abshir Omar Huruuse resigns. Ali Mohamed Omar becomes acting minister.
19
South Korea: Cho Tae Yul is nominated as foreign minister.
Poland: Former foreign minister (1971-76, 1982-85) Stefan Olszowski dies.
20
Lawler |
Australia: The chief minister of the Northern Territory, Natasha Fyles, resigns. On December 21 Eva Lawler is sworn in as chief minister.
Fonseca |
Belize: It is announced that Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay will leave office on December 31, to be succeeded by Francis Fonseca.
Congo (Kinshasa): In presidential elections, incumbent Félix Tshisekedi wins 73.3% of the vote, Moïse Katumbi Chapwe 18.1%, and Martin Fayulu 5.3%. Turnout is about 43%. In parliamentary elections, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress wins 69 of 477 seats, the Alliance of Democratic Forces of the Congo 35, the Action of Allies and Union for the Congolese Nation 35, the Action of Allies for the Rise of the Congo 26, the Action of Allies/All for the Development of the Congo 21, and the Alliance of Actors Attached to the People 21.
21
Indonesia: Al Yasin Ali is appointed acting governor of Maluku Utara following the arrest of Governor Abdul Gani Kasuba on corruption charges.
22
Azerbaijan: The president of Artsakh, Samvel Shahramanyan, declares void his September 28 decree providing for the dissolution of the separatist republic by Jan. 1, 2024.
23
India: Former governor of Orissa (1999-2004) M.M. Rajendran dies.
26
Indonesia: Former governor of Papua (2013-18, 2018-23) Lukas Enembe dies.
The Netherlands: Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag resigns, effective Jan. 8, 2024.
Haimbe |
Zambia: Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo resigns with immediate effect. President Hakainde Hichilema accepts the resignation. On December 28 Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe is appointed to act as foreign minister.
27
European Union: Former president of the European Commission (1985-95) Jacques Delors dies.
Aiyedatiwa |
Nigeria: The governor of Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu, dies. The deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, succeeds as governor.
Russia: Former head of the administration of Kirov oblast (1991-96) Vasily Desyatnikov dies.
28
Congo (Kinshasa): The government approves a 63rd extension of the state of siege in Ituri and Nord-Kivu.
Switzerland: Former president of the Council of State of Ticino (1992-93) Dick Marty dies.
29
Chad: Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo's government resigns following the promulgation of a new constitution.
China: Dong Jun is appointed as defense minister.
New Zealand: Former governor-general (1996-2001) Sir Michael Hardie Boys dies.
30
Russia: Former chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Kabardino-Balkariya (1991-92) Khachim Karmokov dies.
31
Denmark: Queen Margrethe II announces her abdication, effective Jan. 14, 2024.
Israel: Yisrael Katz is named foreign minister.
