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 6, Republicans 6, PSD 5, União 5, Brazilian Socialist Party 4.

5

Canada: In parliamentary elections in Quebec, the Parti Québécois wins 28.0% of the vote (59 of 127 seats), the Liberal Party 24.2% (40), the Conservative Party 20.7% (19), Coalition Avenir Québec 13.3% (0), and Québec Solidaire 12.4% (9). Turnout is 66.9%.
Costa Rica: President Laura Fernández names Ana Elena Pinto as foreign minister, to take office 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.
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.

6

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, Ba Ousmane is defense minister and Moctar Ould Ahmed Bouceif interior 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

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.