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30 May 2015 Ukraine
The former President of Georgia (2004–2013), Mikheil Saakashvili, in which capacity he had been regarded as a reformer and a staunch ally of the West, was appointed by President Petro Poroshenko as Governor of Odesa (Odessa) Oblast, having been granted Ukrainian citizenship in order to permit him to assume the position.
29 May 2015 Finland
A new coalition Government comprising three parties, the Finnish Centre Party, the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party (NCP), took office, with Juha Sipilä of the Centre Party as Prime Minister. Of the 14 ministerial posts, six were allocated to the Centre Party, while the Finns Party and the NCP were each allocated four. Notable appointments included Timo Soini of the Eurosceptic, populist Finns Party as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb as Minister of Finance.
24 May 2015 Poland
Andrzej Duda, the candidate of the socially conservative Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (Law and Justice) party, was elected President, obtaining 51.6% of the votes cast in the second round of popular voting, defeating the incumbent head of state, Bronisław Komorowski, who was closely associated with and a former member of the liberal-conservative Platforma Obywatelska (Civic Platform) party. In accordance with national convention, Duda was expected to resign his party membership prior to his inauguration as President.
18 May 2015 Burundi
President Pierre Nkurunziza effected a reorganization of the Government, replacing the ministers responsible for national defence, external relations, and trade and industry. The changes were reported to be unconnected to the attempted coup, led by a disaffected senior member of the military, Maj.-Gen. Godefroid Niyombareh, which took place on 13 May while Nkurunziza was attending a summit meeting of the East African Community in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The security situation in the country had deteriorated, with widespread protests occurring, after Nkurunziza announced his intention, in late April, to stand for a third presidential term in an election scheduled to be held on 26 June. Burundi’s Constitution stipulates that a president can only serve two terms; however, the Constitutional Court approved Nkurunziza’s candidature on 5 June ruling that he was eligible to contest the ballot as he had been elected for his first term by the members of the National Assembly, rather than by popular vote. Some 50,000 people were believed to have fled the country during the violence, with at least 20 people reported to have been killed.
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16 May 2015 Guyana
David Granger, leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), was sworn in as President after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) released the final results of the general election of 11 May. According to GECOM, APNU and its coalition partner Alliance for Change won 207,200 votes, or 50.3% of the total valid votes, compared with the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/Civic), which won 202,694 votes, equivalent to 49.2% of the valid ballot. The results meant that APNU/Alliance for Change coalition would have 33 seats in the new National Assembly, a one-seat majority, while the PPC/Civic would control the remaining 32 seats. PPP/Civic leader and outgoing President Donald Ramotar refused to accept the validity of the results and demanded a recount, a request that was rejected by GECOM.
14 May 2015 Israel
A new Cabinet, comprising members of Likud, Jewish Home, Shas and Kulanu, was approved by the Knesset. Likud’s Binyamin Netanyahu remained as Prime Minister, while also retaining the communications, foreign affairs, health and regional co-operation portfolios. Silvan Shalom, also of Likud, was appointed as Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs. The Leader of Jewish Home, Naftali Bennett, became Minister of Education and Minister of Diaspora Affairs, while the Leader of Kulanu, Moshe Kahlon, took the post of Minister of Finance. Aryeh Der’i, the Chairman of Shas, joined the Government as Minister of the Economy and Minister for the Development of the Negev and Galilee. Most notably among the other appointments, Jewish Home’s Ayelet Shaked became Minister of Justice, and Likud’s Moshe Ya’alon Minister of Defence. United Torah Judaism also formed part of the governing majority in the legislature, but did not hold any ministerial posts. The appointments were the result of protracted talks following elections to the Knesset on 17 March 2015, at which Likud won the largest representation.
8 May 2015 Guatemala
The Vice-President Roxana Baldetti stepped down from office two days after the Supreme Court of Justice ruled that her immunity from prosecution could be lifted in order that Congress could investigate her role, if any, in customs fraud at the country’s tax agency. Baldetti’s private secretary, Juan Carlos Monzón Rojas, had fled the country in April after he was accused of organizing a bribery scheme at the government body. A total of 24 people have been arrested in connection with the scandal, including two former heads of the agency. Baldetti denied any knowledge or involvement in the corruption, but she had faced growing demands for her resignation.
7 May 2015 United Kingdom
The Conservatives unexpectedly won an outright majority in the House of Commons at the general election, securing 331 seats with 36.9% of the votes cast. The Liberal Democrats, members of the outgoing coalition Government, suffered major losses to secure just eight seats (down from 57 in 2010) with 7.9% of the vote; Nick Clegg immediately resigned as party leader. The Labour Party won 232 seats (down from 258 in 2010) with 30.5% of the vote and its leader, Ed Miliband, also stepped down. The UK Independence Party (UKIP), while winning 12.6% of the vote, secured only one seat; Nigel Farage, the UKIP leader, failed to win the seat that he contested. Notably, the Scottish National Party (SNP) secured 56 of the 59 seats it contested in Scotland; the party previously held six seats in the House. David Cameron, the incumbent Prime Minister, formed a Conservative Government.
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