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

Bosnia and Herzegovina: In the election to the tripartite presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic retains the Serb seat with 55.6% of the vote (against Marinko Bozovic with 26.4% and Nebojsa Vukanovic with 18.1%), Denis Becirovic retains the Bosniak seat with 38.1% (against Bakir Izetbegovic with 34.1% and Semir Efendic with 25.6%), and Darijana Filipovic wins the Croat seat with 47.3% (against Slaven Kovacevic with 30.0% and Zdenko Lucic with 22.7%). In parliamentary elections, the Party of Democratic Action wins 9 of 42 seats, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats 6, the Social Democratic Party 5, the Croat Democratic Union 4, and the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina 3. Savo Minic is elected president of the Republika Srpska with 52.1% of the vote, against 41.0% for Branko Blanusa.
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 is held October 25, Lula winning 51.8% and Bolsonaro 48.2%; turnout is 80.8%. 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), including runoffs 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%. Runoff: Mailza Assis 66.2%, Alan Rick 33.8%; turnout 73.9%.
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%. Runoff: Omar Aziz 61.4%, Maria do Carmo 38.6%; turnout 78.3%.
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%. Runoff: Celina Leão 57.2%, Leandro Grass 42.8%; turnout 82.6%.
Espírito Santo: Lorenzo Silva de Pazolini (Republicans) 49.6%, Gov. Ricardo Ferraço (MDB) 34.1%, Helder Ignacio Salomão (PT) 15.3%; turnout 78.6%. Runoff: Lorenzo Pazolini 52.2%, Ricardo Ferraço 47.8%; turnout 80.5%.
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%. Runoff: Carlos Eduardo Xavier 50.8%, Allyson 49.2%; turnout 83.9%.
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%. Runoff: Vicente Alves de Oliveira Júnior 64.5%, Maria Auxiliadora Seabra Rezende 35.5%; turnout 80.8%.

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. On October 28 a new date of July 18, 2027, is set.

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.
France: François de Canson is elected president of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, receiving 83 votes, against 39 blank ballots.
India: Sudha Yadav is appointed as governor of Karnataka (sworn in October 16), Om Prakash Mathur as governor of Keralam (sworn in October 23), 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, and a 132nd on October 26 (for 15 days beginning October 29).
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). On October 29 Magomed Ramazanov is approved as prime minister.
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; she returns the mandate on October 26.

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. On October 22 the government wins a confidence vote in parliament (204-127).

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

Croatia: Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic survives a no-confidence vote (rejected 79-55).
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.
Japan: Former prime minister (2007-08) Yasuo Fukuda dies.
Russia: Oleg Kozhemyako is appointed plenipotentiary of the president in Dalnevostochny federal district. Konstantin Shestakov is appointed acting governor of Primorsky kray.

23

Germany: Former minister-president of Thüringen (1990-92) Josef Duchac dies.

24

Canada: In parliamentary elections in British Columbia, the Conservative Party wins 47.7% of the vote (64 of 93 seats), the New Democratic Party 37.6% (27), and the Green Party 11.1% (2). Turnout is 52.0%.
Slovakia: Results of gubernatorial elections:

Banskobystrický kraj: incumbent Ondrej Lunter (independent) wins 64.8% of the vote, Miroslav Suja (Republic Movement) 15.0%, Marian Kotleba (People's Party Our Slovakia) 9.1%, Roman Malatinec (Rural Party) 5.3%.
Bratislavský kraj: incumbent Juraj Droba (Freedom and Solidarity) wins 71.0% of the vote, Rastislav Gajarský (Voice-Social Democracy) 11.5%, Zuzana Krajcovicová (Right to Truth) 9.6%.
Kosický kraj: incumbent Ratislav Trnka (independent) is reelected with 32.0% of the vote, Marián Porvazník (Progressive Slovakia) wins 30.7%, Igor Simko (Voice-Social Democracy) 24.2%, and Monika Sofiya Sorocinová (independent) 9.8%.
Nitriansky kraj: incumbent Branislav Becík (Voice-Social Democracy) wins 50.5% of the vote, Henrich Varga (Team Nitra kraj) 28.9%, and Tibor Csenger (Hungarian Alliance) 10.4%.
Presovský kraj: incumbent Milan Majerský (Christian Democratic Movement) is reelected with 48.8% of the votes, Milan Mazurek (Republic Movement) wins 35.2% and Samuel Migal (independent) 6.1%.
Trenciansky kraj: incumbent Jaroslav Baska (Direction-Social Democracy) wins 57.4% of the vote and Natália Svítková (Democrats) 39.0%.
Trnavský kraj: incumbent Jozef Viskupic (Progressive Slovakia) wins 54.0% of the vote, József Berényi (Hungarian Alliance) 20.9%, Peter Hambálek (Direction-Social Democracy) 11.7%, and Matej Lancaric (independent) 7.2%.
Zilinský kraj: incumbent Erika Jurinová (Slovakia Movement) wins 52.1% of the vote, Igor Choma (Direction-Social Democracy) 25.8%, Martin Kapitulík (independent) 12.7%, and Anna Belousovová (Republic Movement) 5.3%.

25

Bulgaria: In the first round of presidential elections, incumbent Iliyana Yotova wins 34.8% of the vote, Andrey Gyurov 32.0%, and Kostadin Kostadinov 12.5%. Turnout is 23.0%. The runoff will be held November 1.
China: The governor of Hebei, Wang Zhengpu, resigns and Zhao Chenxin is appointed acting governor.
Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Fukushima, incumbent Masao Uchibori wins 90.8% of the vote. Turnout is 44.1%.
Serbia: In parliamentary elections, the Student List wins 53.7% of the vote (141 of 250 seats) and United Serbia 39.5% (103). Turnout is 69.0%.

26

Canada: Results of mayoral elections in Ontario:

London: Josh Morgan is reelected with 45.4% of the vote, defeating Susan Stevenson (26.7%) and Kirsten Krose (10.8%).
Mississauga: Alvin Tedjo is elected with 39.2% of the vote, defeating incumbent Carolyn Parrish (27.3%) and Bonnie Crombie (22.7%).
Ottawa: Mark Sutcliffe is reelected with 44.6% of the vote, defeating Jeff Leiper (33.9%) and Neil Saravanamuttoo (11.0%); turnout is 36.2%.
Toronto: Olivia Chow is reelected with 54.2% of the vote, defeating Brad Bradford (41.1%); turnout is 45.8%.
Windsor: Fred Francis is elected with 47.6% of the vote, defeating incumbent Drew Dilkens (33.8%) and Kat Pasquach (12.3%).

Congo (Kinshasa): The governor of Tshuapa, Armand Yambe, is defeated (16-2) in a no-confidence vote in the provincial assembly. The provincial assembly of Mongala decides (17 of 19 votes) to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Jean-Collins Makaka Pap'Ekaka.
French Guiana: Parliament elects the acting president, Jean-Paul Fereira, as president. He receives 34 votes, against 15 for Isabelle Patient and 1 for Keena Léonce.
Iraq: The Supreme Court rejects a challenge against the continuation of the present parliament of the Kurdistan autonomous region (which has failed to elect a speaker since convening in December 2024).

27

Israel: In parliamentary elections, Likud wins 20.5% of the vote (27 of 120 seats), Yashar 16.1% (21), Together 9.3% (12), the Joint List 8.8% (11), the Democrats 6.4% (8), Yisrael Beiteinu 5.9% (7), Ra'am 5.9% (8), Otzma Yehudit 5.7% (7), United Torah Judaism 5.5% (7), Shas 5.3% (6), and Religious Zionism-Zehut 5.1% (6). Turnout is 77.7%.
Russia: Aleksandr Sheldyayev is approved as prime minister of Bashkortostan.

28

Canada: In mayoral elections in Winnipeg, Scott Gillingham is reelected with 39.8% of the vote, defeating Kevin Klein (20.7%), Noah Redden (19.8%), and Mike Vogiatzakis (9.7%).
Mexico: Former governor of Michoacán (1980-86) and chief of government of the Distrito Federal (1997-99) Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas dies.
Zambia: Ambrose Lufuma is reappointed as defense minister and Clement Andeleki appointed as home affairs minister.

29

Venezuela: Oliver Blanco is appointed foreign minister.

30

China: Xie Weijiang is appointed acting governor of Hunan and Zhuge Yujie acting governor of Qinghai.
Philippines: The parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao elects the interim incumbent, Abdulraof Macacua, as chief minister. He receives 51 votes, against 27 for his predecessor Murad Ebrahim.