Rulers

February 2026

1

Iraq: The parliamentary session to elect a president is again postponed until further notice due to a lack of quorum.
Kuwait: In a cabinet reshuffle, Sheikh Jarrah Jabir Al Ahmad Al Sabah is appointed foreign minister and Yaqoub al-Rifai finance minister.

2

France: The government of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu survives two no-confidence motions, which receive 260 and 135 votes respectively (289 needed).
Guinea: The partial composition of the new cabinet of Prime Minister Bah Oury is announced with Gen. Ahmed Mohamed Oury Diallo as security minister and Mariama Ciré Sylla as finance minister; Morissanda Kouyaté remains foreign minister. On February 4 the cabinet is completed, with Aboubacar Sidiki Camara to remain defense minister.
Honduras: Enrique Rodríguez Burchard is appointed defense minister.
Jordan: Former prime minister (1984-85) Ahmad Obeidat dies.
The Netherlands: Parliament appoints Rob Jetten as formateur. On February 9 the full cabinet is announced, with Tom Berendsen as foreign minister, Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius as defense minister, Pieter Heerma as interior minister, and Eelco Heinen remaining finance minister. The government is sworn in on February 23.

4

Germany: The minister-president of Thüringen, Mario Voigt, survives a no-confidence vote (rejected 51-33).

5

Comoros: Moussa Abderemane is appointed finance minister.
Denmark: Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen survives a no-confidence vote (rejected 61-29).
Palau: The Senate refuses to consider the renomination of Kaleb Udui, Jr., as finance minister.
Tokelau: In parliamentary elections, 20 nonpartisan members are elected.

6

Congo (Kinshasa): The government adopts a 115th extension of the state of siege in Ituri and Nord-Kivu, followed by a 116th on February 20.
Yemen: The cabinet of Prime Minister Shaya Mohsin al-Zindani is appointed with himself remaining foreign minister and Maj.Gen. Ibrahim Haydan interior minister, while Lt.Gen. Taher Ali Aydhah al-Uqaili becomes defense minister and Marwan Faraj Bin Ghanem finance minister. The government is sworn in on February 9.

7

Haiti: The mandate of the Transitional Presidential Council ends. Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé assumes the functions of head of state. He also becomes acting finance minister as Alfred Metellus is dismissed. On February 23 Serge Gabriel Colin is appointed as finance minister (taking office February 25).
Spain: Former president of the Junta of Castilla-La Mancha (1982-83) Jesús Fuentes Lázaro dies.

8

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sinisa Karan remains the winner in a partial re-run of the Nov. 23, 2025, presidential election in Republika Srpska. The revised result gives him 50.5% of the vote and Branko Blanusa 48.1%. He is sworn in on February 17.
Japan: In parliamentary elections, the Liberal-Democratic Party wins 316 of 465 seats, the Centrist Reform Alliance 49, the Japan Innovation Party 36, the Democratic Party for the People 28, and Sanseito 15. Turnout is 56.3%. Results of gubernatorial elections: On February 18 Sanae Takaichi is reelected prime minister with 354 votes, against 50 for Junya Ogawa. Her cabinet is unchanged.
Portugal: In the presidential runoff, António José Seguro wins 66.8% of the vote and André Ventura 33.2%. Turnout is 50.0%.
Russia: Former chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kalmyk A.S.S.R./Kalmykia (1989-92) Batyr Mikhailov dies.
Spain: In parliamentary elections in Aragón, the Popular Party wins 34.6% of the vote (26 of 67 seats), the Party of Socialists of Aragón 24.6% (18), Vox 18.0% (14), Chunta Aragonesista 9.9% (6), Coalición Existe 3.6% (2), and United Left-Sumar Movement 3.0% (1). Turnout is 65.1%.
Thailand: In parliamentary elections, the Bhumjaithai Party wins 191 of 500 seats, the People's Party 120, the Pheu Thai Party 74, the Kla Tham Party 58, and the Democrat Party 21. Turnout is 71.4%.

9

Canada: Rob Lantz is sworn in as premier of Prince Edward Island.

10

Philippines: Congress dismisses (284-8) two impeachment complaints against President Bongbong Marcos.
Portugal: Interior Minister Maria Lúcia Amaral resigns. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro temporarily takes over the portfolio. On February 21 Luís Neves is named interior minister (taking office February 23).
Russia: Valery Zhukov is appointed chairman of the government of Yevreyskaya autonomous oblast.
United States: In mayoral elections in Oklahoma City, incumbent David Holt (Republican) wins 86.5% of the vote and Matthew Pallares (Independent) 13.5%.

11

Barbados: In parliamentary elections, the Barbados Labour Party wins 70.7% of the vote and all 30 seats, while the Democratic Labour Party wins 28.1%. Turnout is 40.0%. On February 12 Mia Mottley is again sworn in as prime minister. On February 16 her cabinet is announced with Christopher Sinckler as foreign minister, Gregory Nicholls as home affairs minister, and Ryan Straughn as finance minister.
Bulgaria: President Iliyana Yotova nominates Andrey Gyurov as interim prime minister, formally appointing him on February 12. On February 18 Gyurov names his cabinet with Nadezhda Neynski as foreign minister, Emil Dechev as interior minister, and Georgi Klisurski as finance minister; Atanas Zapryanov is to remain defense minister. On February 19 the government takes office and Yotova calls parliamentary elections for April 19.
Egypt: Gen. Ashraf Salem Zaher Mansour is appointed defense minister.
Georgia: Dzambolat Tadtayev is appointed prime minister of South Ossetia.
Kosovo: President Vjosa Osmani gives a mandate to Prime Minister Albin Kurti to form a new government. This government is confirmed by parliament (66-49) and sworn in the same day, including Glauk Konjufca as foreign minister; Ejup Maqedonci remains defense minister, Xhelal Sveçla internal affairs minister, and Hekuran Murati finance minister.
Turkey: In a cabinet reshuffle, Mustafa Çiftçi becomes interior minister.
Uzbekistan: Kallibek Kamalov, former chairman of the Council of Ministers (1959-63) and first secretary of the Communist Party committee (1963-84) of the Karakalpak A.S.S.R., dies.

12

Sri Lanka: Former governor of North Central province (2019-20) Tissa Vitharana dies.

13

Bangladesh: In parliamentary elections, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party wins 209 of 297 seats. On February 16 Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus resigns. On February 17 Tarique Rahman is sworn in as prime minister, with a cabinet including himself as defense minister, Khalilur Rahman as foreign minister, Salahuddin Ahmed as home affairs minister, and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury as finance minister.

14

African Union: Evariste Ndayishimiye, president of Burundi, is elected chairman.
Belgium: Boris Dilliès is sworn in as minister-president of Brussels-Capital.

17

Peru: Congress votes (75-24) to remove President José Jerí. On February 18 Congress elects its new president who then becomes president of the country. In the first round, José Balcázar wins 46 votes against 43 for María del Carmen Alva, 13 for Héctor Acuña, and 7 for Edgard Reymundo; in the second round, Balcázar wins against Alva, 64-46. On February 22 Hernando de Soto is named as prime minister, to take office February 24. On the latter date, however, de Soto declines his appointment and Denisse Miralles is appointed instead and takes office with a cabinet including Luis Arroyo Sánchez as defense minister, Hugo Begazo de Bedoya as interior minister, and Gerardo López Gonzales as finance minister; Hugo de Zela remains foreign minister.

18

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Former chairman of the Presidency (2003, 2004-05) Borislav Paravac dies.
Slovenia: Former foreign minister (1997-2000) Boris Frlec dies.

20

Italy: Former president of Lazio (1983-84, 1987-90) Bruno Landi dies.

22

North Korea: Kim Jong Un is reelected as general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Laos: In parliamentary elections, 175 candidates of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party are elected.
Serbia: Former foreign minister of Serbia (1991-92, 1992-93) and Yugoslavia (1992, 1993-95) Vladislav Jovanovic dies.

23

South Sudan: President Salva Kiir dismisses Finance Minister Bak Barnaba Chol and appoints Salvatore Garang Mabiordit as finance minister.

24

Sri Lanka: Susiripala Manawadu is appointed and sworn in as governor of Southern province.

25

Finland: Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government wins a confidence vote in parliament (96-76).
France: The government of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu survives two no-confidence motions, which receive 140 and 108 votes respectively (289 needed).
Indonesia: Former governor of Sumatera Selatan (2008-18) Alex Noerdin dies.
Nauru: Former president (2003, 2004-07) Ludwig Scotty dies.

26

Albania: Prime Minister Edi Rama announces a cabinet reshuffle, with Ferit Hoxha to become foreign minister, Ermal Nufi defense minister, and Besfort Lamallari interior minister.
Canada: Prime Minister Mark Carney's government wins a budgetary confidence vote (no recorded vote).
South Sudan: President Salva Kiir dismisses Vice President Josephine Lagu Yanga and appoints Hussein Abdelbagi Akol in her place.

28

Iran: The rahbar, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh are killed in Israeli airstrikes.