Rulers

September 2026

1

Algeria: In a cabinet reshuffle, Mohamed Lamine Lebbou is appointed finance minister.

2

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Former president of the Presidency (1978-82) Raif Dizdarevic - also foreign minister (1984-87) and president of the Presidency (1988-89) of Yugoslavia - dies.
China: The resignation of the governor of Gansu, Ren Zhenhe, is accepted and Kong Shaoxun is appointed acting governor.
Estonia: Parliament elects Ülle Madise as president (71 of 78 votes). She is to be sworn in on October 12.
Estonia: Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur resigns. On September 9 Prime Minister Kristen Michal proposes Martin Herem as new defense minister; he is appointed by the president on September 15.
Kazakhstan: Mukhtar Tleuberdi is appointed foreign minister.

3

Solomon Islands: In a cabinet reshuffle, Nestor Giro is appointed and sworn in as home affairs minister and Rexon Ramofafia as finance minister. In a further change on September 4, however, Isikeli Vave is sworn in to replace Giro.

4

China: The resignation of the mayor of Shanghai, Gong Zheng, is accepted and Zhu Zhongming is appointed acting mayor.

5

India: Dinesh Sharma is appointed as lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He is sworn in on September 15.

6

Germany: In state elections in Sachsen-Anhalt, the Alternative for Germany wins 43.8% of the vote (39 of 83 seats), the Christian Democratic Union 17.2% (15), the Social Democratic Party 9.3% (8), the Greens 8.9% (8), the Left 8.6% (8), the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht 5.3% (5), and the Free Democratic Party 2.6% (0). Turnout is 77.8%.
Indonesia: Former governor of Kalimantan Selatan (2005-15) Rudy Ariffin dies.

7

Latvia: Former foreign minister (2004) Rihards Piks dies.
Niue: Melanie Roberts is appointed high commissioner.
Serbia: Prime Minister Djuro Macut asks President Aleksandar Vucic to dissolve parliament and call early elections. On September 8 Vucic says he will set October 25 as the election date; he formally dissolves parliament on September 9. On September 13 Vucic says he will resign on September 27. On the latter date the parliament speaker, Ana Brnabic, becomes acting president.

8

China: Former chief executive of Hong Kong (1997-2005) Tung Chee-hwa dies.

11

Congo (Kinshasa): The government adopts a 129th extension of the state of siege in Ituri and Nord-Kivu. Parliament approves a 130th on September 28.
Italy: Former foreign minister (2013-14) Emma Bonino dies.
Liberia: In a cabinet reshuffle, Oswald Natu Tweh is appointed defense minister.

12

Nigeria: Former governor of Gongola (1983) Bamanga Tukur dies.
Russia: Former head of the administration of Vologda oblast (1991-96) Nikolay Podgornov dies.
Saint Helena: Belinda Lewis is sworn in as governor.

13

Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Okinawa, Genta Koja wins 59.4% of the vote and incumbent Denny Tamaki 38.8%. Turnout is 61.6%. Koja takes office September 30.
Kosovo: Parliament reelects Albin Kurti as prime minister (62-8). The cabinet is unchanged. On September 14 the main opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo asks the Constitutional Court to suspend the work of parliament, saying it was improperly constituted; on September 15 the party also asks the court to assess the validity of the reelection of Kurti. On September 23 the court validates Kurti's election and orders parliament to elect a president by October 6 to avoid new parliamentary elections.
Sweden: In parliamentary elections, the Social Democrats win 28.0% of the vote (99 of 349 seats), the Moderates 19.8% (70), the Sweden Democrats 17.5% (62), the Left Party 8.4% (30), the Centre Party 7.0% (25), the Christian Democrats 6.2% (22), the Greens 6.1% (22), and the Liberals 5.3% (19). Turnout is 84.8%. On September 17 Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson resigns. On September 18 the speaker of parliament, Andreas Norlén, asks Magdalena Andersson to explore forming a new government. She returns the mandate on September 28.

14

Indonesia: President Prabowo Subianto dismisses Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa and appoints Suahasil Nazara in his place.
Philippines: In parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Bangsamoro Federalist Party wins 35.5% of the vote (31 of 78 elected seats), the United Bangsamoro Justice Party 32.2% (30), and the BARMM Grand Coalition 20.5% (15). (With 2 seats reserved for non-Moro indigenous peoples, the total is 80.) Turnout is 84.3%.
Zambia: President Hakainde Hichilema reappoints Mulambo Haimbe as foreign minister and Situmbeko Musokotwane as finance minister.

15

Pitcairn Island: Louise Cantillon is sworn in as governor.

16

Eswatini: Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe Dlamini dies. Foreign Minister Pholile Shakantu has already been acting home affairs minister during Dlamini's illness.
Lebanon: The government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam wins a confidence vote in parliament (68-12).

17

China: Former governor of Heilongjiang (1988-94) Shao Qihui dies.
Japan: In a cabinet reshuffle, Hisayuki Fujii is appointed as internal affairs minister.
Romania: President Nicusor Dan nominates Siegfried Muresan as prime minister. On September 26 Muresan nominates Mircea Abrudean as interior minister, while Oana Toiu is to remain foreign minister, Radu Miruta defense minister, and Alexandru Nazare finance minister. On September 30 Muresan fails to win a confidence vote in parliament (182 votes for, 15 against; 233 needed).

18

Georgia: In presidential elections in South Ossetia, acting incumbent Marat Kambolov wins 87.0% of the vote and three other candidates below 4% each, with 5.0% against all. Turnout is 82.7%. Kambolov takes office September 30.

19

Indonesia: Former governor of Jawa Barat (2003-08) Danny Setiawan dies.
Solomon Islands: Former governor-general (2004-09) Sir Nathaniel Waena dies.

20

Germany: In state elections in Berlin, the Left wins 25.7% of the vote (45 of 153 seats), the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 18.8% (33), the Alternative for Germany (AfD) 16.3% (29), the Greens 14.3% (25), the Social Democratic Party (SPD) 12.1% (21), the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) 4.7% (0), and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) 2.5% (0); turnout is 74.2%. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the AfD wins 38.2% of the vote (32 of 71 seats), the SPD 35.5% (29), the Left 6.5% (5), the Greens 5.7% (5), the CDU 4.9% (0), the BSW 4.8% (0), the Animal Protection Party 1.1% (0), and the FDP 1.0% (0); turnout is 78.1%.
Nigeria: Former governor of Kogi (2003-08, 2008-12) Ibrahim Idris dies.
Russia: In parliamentary elections held September 18-20, United Russia (UR) wins about 58% of the vote (349 of 450 seats), the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) about 14% (37), the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) about 9% (23), New People about 8% (19), and A Just Russia (JR) about 5% (17). Turnout is 59.8%. On September 20 the parliament of Karachayevo-Cherkessia reelects Rashid Temrezov (UR) as head of the republic with 48 votes, while the other nominees Aleksandr Chayka (LDPR) and Krym Shkhakhov (JR) receive no votes. The parliament of North Ossetia-Alania reelects Sergey Menyaylo (UR) as head of the republic with 61 votes, while Oleg Varnavin (JR) receives 5 votes and Chermen Dudati (CPRF) none. Results of popular elections for regional heads, all winners being the (acting) incumbents:

21

South Sudan: President Salva Kiir signs a law allowing him to remain in office during the election period but requiring the five vice presidents to leave office three months before the (December 22) elections. On September 22 Kiir dissolves the transitional government and appoints caretaker ministers, including Cecilia Adeng (foreign affairs), Ayor Akuoch Anok (defense), Rizik Zakariah Hassan (interior), and Athian Diing Athian (finance).

22

Congo (Kinshasa): Former foreign minister (1970-72) Losembe Batwanyele dies.

23

China: Wang Dongwei is appointed acting governor of Anhui.
Morocco: In parliamentary elections, the Authenticity and Modernity Party wins 97 of 395 seats, the National Rally of Independents 66, Istiqlal 65, the Justice and Development Party 54, the Popular Movement 29, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces 26, the Party of Progress and Socialism 19, and the Constitutional Union 17. Turnout is 38.0%. On September 29 King Muhammad VI asks Fatima Zahra El Mansouri to form a government.
Russia: Aleksandr Sheldyayev is appointed acting prime minister of Bashkortostan.

24

China: Wang Lujin is appointed acting governor of Henan.
Costa Rica: President Laura Fernández dismisses Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar Rivera and names Indiana Trejos Gallo as acting foreign minister.
Isle of Man: In parliamentary elections, independents win 22 of 24 seats and the Manx Labour Party 2.
Pakistan: The Legislative Assembly of Azad Kashmir elects Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) as president of Azad Kashmir. He receives 32 votes, against 13 for Chaudhry Latif Akbar (Pakistan People's Party). He is sworn in the same day.
Serbia: Former prime minister of Yugoslavia (1992-93) Milan Panic dies.

25

Guinea: Former prime minister (1996-99) Sidya Touré dies.

27

Kazakhstan: President Kasymzhomart Tokayev dismisses Defense Minister Dauren Kosanov and appoints Aydos Myrzakhmetov as defense minister.
São Tomé and Príncipe: In parliamentary elections, the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe-Social Democratic Party wins 37.5% of the vote (24 of 55 seats), Independent Democratic Action 36.3% (23), the BASTA Movement 9.3% (2), and the coalition of the Movement of Independent Citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe-Socialist Party and the National Unity Party 8.3% (6). Turnout is 37.1%.

30

French Guiana: President Gabriel Serville dies. The first vice president, Jean-Paul Fereira, becomes acting president.
Tuvalu: Temukisa Hauma is sworn in as governor-general.
United States: The Senate confirms Keith E. Sonderling as labour secretary (47-41).