Rulers
October 2026
1
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Former president of the Republika Srpska (1992 [acting], 1996-98) Biljana Plavsic dies.
Indonesia: President Prabowo Subianto appoints Arrmanatha Nasir as foreign minister.
Giovagnoli | 
Casali |
San Marino: Gerardo Giovagnoli (Party of Socialists and Democrats) and William Casali (Christian Democrat) take office as captains-regent.
2
Philippines: Former prime minister (1981-86) Cesar Virata dies.
Russia: Aleksandr Shuvayev takes office as governor of Belgorod oblast.
Switzerland: Economy Minister Guy Parmelin announces he will leave the government at the end of the year.
United States: Keith E. Sonderling is sworn in as labor secretary.
3
Latvia: In parliamentary elections, the United List wins 35.8% of the vote (41 of 100 seats), Latvia First 13.3% (17), Sovereign Power/Alliance of Young Latvians 11.9% (15), the National Alliance 9.0% (10), The Progressives 8.0% (10), New Unity 6.4% (7), and the Union of Greens and Farmers 4.5% (0). Turnout is 51.8%. On October 6 President Edgars Rinkevics asks Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs to form a new government.
4
Brazil: In the first round of presidential elections, Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL) wins 47.0% of the vote and incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party (PT) 45.2%. Turnout is 78.9%. A runoff will be held October 25. In the parliamentary elections, the PL wins 22.6% of the vote for the Chamber of Deputies (121 of 513 seats), the Brazil of Hope Federation (including the PT) 15.3% (88), the Progressive Union Federation (União) 13.6% (87), the Social Democratic Party (PSD) 8.2% (43), the Republicans 6.9% (41), the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) 6.9% (36), and Podemos 5.2% (27). In the Senate, with 54 of 81 seats renewed, the composition will be PL 28 seats, PT 9, MDB 8, Progressives (PP) 6, Republicans 6, PSD 5, União 5, Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) 4. Results of gubernatorial elections (PDT=Democratic Labour Party, PSDB=Brazilian Social Democracy Party), runoffs to be held on October 25:
- Acre: Gov. Mailza Assis da Silva (PP) 49.8%, Alan Rick Miranda (Republicans) 32.3%, Sebastião Bocalom Rodrigues (PSDB) 10.2%; turnout 79.6%.
- Alagoas: João Henrique Caldas (PSDB) 52.2%, José Renan Vasconcelos Calheiros Filho (MDB) 47.4%; turnout 79.4%.
- Amapá: Antonio Paulo de Oliveira Furlan (PSD) 62.8%, Gov. Clécio Luís Vilhena Vieira (União) 37.0%; turnout 82.6%.
- Amazonas: Omar José Abdelaziz (PSD) 40.6%, Maria do Carmo Seffair Lins de Albuquerque (PL) 24.5%, Gov. Roberto Maia Cidade Filho (União) 21.9%, David Antônio Abisai Pereira de Almeida (Avante) 10.5%; turnout 79.8%.
- Bahia: Gov. Jerônimo Rodrigues Souza (PT) 55.8%, Antônio Carlos Peixoto de Magalhães Neto (União) 43.7%; turnout 80.0%.
- Ceará: Gov. Elmano de Freitas da Costa (PT) 53.2%, Ciro Gomes (PSDB) 46.2%; turnout 84.5%.
- Distrito Federal: Gov. Celina Leão Hizim Ferreira (PP) 49.9%, Leandro Antônio Grass Peixoto (PT) 34.5%; turnout 81.0%.
- Espírito Santo: Lorenzo Silva de Pazolini (Republicans) 49.6%, Gov. Ricardo Ferraço (MDB) 34.1%, Helder Ignacio Salomão (PT) 15.3%; turnout 78.6%.
- Goiás: Gov. Daniel Elias Carvalho Vilela (MDB) 59.2%, Wilder Pedro de Morais (PL) 22.0%; turnout 78.2%.
- Maranhão: Eduardo Salim Braide (PSD) 54.0%, Gov. Carlos Orleans Brandão Júnior (MDB) 34.8%; turnout 80.3%.
- Mato Grosso: Gov. Otaviano Olavo Pivetta (Republicans) 60.8%, Wellington Antônio Fagundes (PL) 23.2%, Natasha Slhessarenko Fraife Barreto (PSD) 15.2%; turnout 77.8%.
- Mato Grosso do Sul: Gov. Eduardo Correa Riedel (PP) 67.1%, Fábio Ricardo Trad (PT) 23.7%; turnout 76.1%.
- Minas Gerais: Cleiton Gontijo de Azevedo (Republicans) 55.4%, Patrus Ananias de Sousa (PT) 26.3%; turnout 77.2%.
- Pará: Daniel Barbosa Santos (Podemos) 51.4%, Gov. Hana Ghassan Tuma (MDB) 46.5%; turnout 80.9%.
- Paraíba: Gov. Lucas Ribeiro Novais de Araújo (PP) 64.3%, Efraim de Araújo Morais Filho (PL) 24.2%, Cícero de Lucena Filho (MDB) 11.1%; turnout 82.6%.
- Paraná: Sergio Moro (PL) 50.1%, Sandro Alex Cruz de Oliveira (PSD) 25.4%, Maurício Thadeu de Mello e Silva (PDT) 23.5%; turnout 79.4%.
- Pernambuco: Gov. Raquel Teixeira Lyra Lucena (PSD) 53.3%, João Henrique de Andrade Lima Campos (PSB) 44.8%; turnout 81.8%.
- Piauí: Gov. Rafael Tajra Fonteles (PT) 70.9%, Joel Rodrigues da Silva (PP) 27.5%; turnout 82.8%.
- Rio de Janeiro: Douglas Ruas dos Santos (PL) 50.9%, Eduardo da Costa Paes (PSD) 44.2%; turnout 76.7%.
- Rio Grande do Norte: Allyson Leandro Bezerra Silva (União) 36.9%, Carlos Eduardo Xavier (PT) 36.2%, Álvaro Costa Dias (PL) 26.7%; turnout 81.6%.
- Rio Grande do Sul: Luciano Lorenzini Zucco (PL) 58.1%, Juliana Brizola (PDT) 31.7%; turnout 78.6%.
- Rondônia: Marcos Rogério da Silva Brito (PL) 56.9%, Adailton Antunes Ferreira (PSD) 20.1%, Hildon de Lima Chaves (União) 14.2%; turnout 78.3%.
- Roraima: Arthur Henrique Brandão Machado (PL) 69.1%, Francisco dos Santos Sampaio (Republicans) 29.3%; turnout 82.9%.
- Santa Catarina: Gov. Jorginho dos Santos Mello (PL) 69.0%, Gelson Luiz Merísio (PSB) 15.7%, João Rodrigues (PSD) 13.3%; turnout 81.0%.
- São Paulo: Gov. Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas (Republicans) 62.7%, Fernando Haddad (PT) 36.4%; turnout 77.4%.
- Sergipe: Gov. Fábio Cruz Mitidieri (PSD) 59.3%, Valmir dos Santos Costa (Republicans) 37.5%; turnout 82.7%.
- Tocantins: Maria Auxiliadora Seabra Rezende (União) 45.5%, Vicente Alves de Oliveira Júnior (PSDB) 43.9%; turnout 81.6%.
5
Canada: In parliamentary elections in Quebec, the Parti Québécois wins 28.0% of the vote (60 of 127 seats), the Liberal Party 24.2% (39), the Conservative Party 20.7% (19), Coalition Avenir Québec 13.3% (0), and Québec Solidaire 12.4% (9). Turnout is 66.9%. On October 21 Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon is sworn in as premier.
Costa Rica: President Laura Fernández names Ana Elena Pinto as foreign minister (sworn in October 15).
Ethiopia: Abiy Ahmed is reelected as prime minister. On October 8 a cabinet is approved including Mohammed Idris as defense minister and Fitsum Assefa as finance minister; Gedion Timothewos remains foreign minister.
Iran: President Masoud Pezeshkian nominates Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as defense minister. He is approved by parliament (237-15) on October 18 and appointed by Pezeshkian on October 19.
Kosovo: Acting President Albulena Haxhiu asks the Constitutional Court its advice on who may exercise the presidential powers if no president is elected by October 6, given that the constitution stipulates that the position of acting president cannot be held for more than six months. However, in a vote that begins minutes before the midnight deadline on October 6 and is finished only in the early minutes of October 7, a president is elected after all, as Justina Shiroka Pula receives 81 votes and is then sworn in.
Laos: The National Assembly approves Saleumxay Kommasith as prime minister (158-0).
Romania: President Nicusor Dan designates Luca Niculescu to form a government. On October 14 Dan Neculaescu is proposed as foreign minister, Radu Oprea as defense minister, and Marian Neacsu as interior minister, Alexandru Nazare to continue as finance minister. On October 20 the government wins a confidence vote in parliament (280-58) and is sworn in.
6
Belize: In a cabinet reshuffle, Michel Chebat is appointed as minister of national security.
Guinea-Bissau: Brig.Gen. Mamasaliu Embaló is dismissed as interior and public order minister and António Suca Ntchama appointed in his place. On October 8 it is announced that presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 6 will be delayed.
Haiti: The Provisional Electoral Council announces the indefinite postponement of the presidential and parliamentary elections that were set to begin December 13.
9
Mauritania: The government of Prime Minister Moctar Ould Diay resigns. President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani asks Diay to form a new government. In the government named on October 10, Ousmane Ba is defense minister and Moctar Ould Ahmed Bouceif interior minister; Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug remains foreign minister and Codioro Moussa N'Guenore finance minister.
Palestine: It is announced that the parliamentary elections planned for November 28 will be postponed. On October 10 a new date of Sept. 11, 2027, is set for both presidential and parliamentary elections.
11
Gabon: In a cabinet reshuffle, Edgard Moukoumbi is appointed interior minister.
Pakistan: President Asif Ali Zardari imposes governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, dismissing Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
12
Estonia: Ülle Madise takes office as president.
India: Sudha Yadav is appointed as governor of Karnataka (sworn in October 16), Om Prakash Mathur as governor of Keralam, Braj Mohan Ram as governor of Odisha (sworn in October 18), Dushyant Kumar Gautam as governor of Sikkim (sworn in October 19), Rajendra Arlekar as governor of Tamil Nadu (already held as additional charge, taking office as full-time governor on October 15), and Dhal Singh Bisen as governor of Uttarakhand (sworn in October 19).
Uzbekistan: Botir Kudratkhodzhayev is appointed defense minister.
13
Algeria: Brahim Merad is appointed as interior minister. He takes office October 14.
Congo (Kinshasa): Parliament adopts a 131st extension of the state of siege in Ituri and Nord-Kivu.
Isle of Man: Parliament elects Chris Thomas as chief minister. He receives 22 votes, against 2 for Kirrie Jenkins.
15
Guatemala: Jonathan Menkos is again sworn in as finance minister.
Iraq: Parliament approves remaining ministers of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's cabinet, including Nayef al-Shammari as defense minister and Yasir al-Maliki as interior minister.
Russia: The parliament of Dagestan elects the acting head of the republic, Fyodor Shchukin, as head of the republic (78 of 87 votes).
Saint Helena: Andrew Wells is sworn in as administrator of Tristan da Cunha.
Sweden: Parliament votes against Magdalena Andersson as prime minister (99 votes in favour, 248 against). On October 19 the parliament speaker asks Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist to explore formation of a government.
16
Morocco: The new government of Prime Minister Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri is appointed, with Fouzi Lekjaa as finance minister, while Nasser Bourita remains foreign minister, Abdelouafi Laftit interior minister, and Abdellatif Loudiyi minister-delegate in charge of defense.
17
Canada: In mayoral elections in Vancouver, Pete Fry (Green Party) is elected with 47.8% of the vote, defeating incumbent Ken Sim (ABC Vancouver) with 32.7% and Colleen Hardwick (TEAM for a Livable Vancouver) with 8.8%; turnout is about 43%. In Victoria, Marianne Alto is reelected with 44.2% of the vote, defeating Bruce McGuigan (34.4%) and Mike Harris (11.5%); turnout is 41.4%.
19
France: President Emmanuel Macron says he refused an offer of resignation submitted on October 18 by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
Nigeria: Former governor of Delta (2007-10, 2011-15) Emmanuel Uduaghan dies.
21
Russia: Former prime minister (1996) and representative of the federal government (1999-2000) of Chechnya Nikolay Koshman dies.
22
Georgia: Soslan Margiyev is appointed prime minister of South Ossetia.
Russia: Oleg Kozhemyako is appointed plenipotentiary representative of the president in Dalnevostochny federal district. Vera Shcherbina becomes acting governor of Primorsky kray.