LETTER N° 27

From 02 to 08 of July

2 Mexico		Presidential and Congressional elections. Results : In presidential elections, Vicente Fox of the National Action Party wins about 43% of the vote and Francisco Labastida of the Institutional Revolutionary Party about 36%. Fox will take office December 1. In the national legislative elections, for the Chamber of Deputies, the PRI lost its absolute majority though retains a relative majority with approximately 38% of the seats, the right wing National Action Party(PAN) won 27% of the seats; the PRD won 25%. The above mentioned parties will have to form alliances for the approval of any new legislation to be passed in the Chamber of Deputies. The ruling PRI maintains its majority in the Senate with 38% of seats, followed by the PAN with 27% and the PRD with 25%.
2 Mexico		Mexico City, Mayoral election. Results : In the first free elections for the Mayor of Mexico City, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, candidate for the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD), won with a sweeping victory of 47% of the votes, the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) came in second place with 24% and the PAN with 18%.
2 Mexico (Guanajuato)		Guanajuato state (Mexico), Gubernatorial election. Results : the PAN won 59.37% ; the PRI 31.60% and the PRD 6.77%.
2 Mexico (Morelos)		Morelos state (Mexico), Gubernatorial election. Results : Sergio Estrada Casillas, PAN's candidate to governorship of Morelos obtained 54.26 %, whereas the PRI's candidate won 28.66 % ; the PRD 13.75 % ; the Ecologist Party (Partido Ecologista) 0.60% ; the PARM 0.64 and the PT 1.00%
2 Russian Federation (Samara)		Samara Region (Russian Federation), Gubernatorial election. Results : former Governor Konstantin Titov is ahead in the gubernatorial ballot in Samara Oblast, according to preliminary results, ITAR- TASS reported the next day. Titov has gathered 53.2% of the vote, while his nearest rival, Viktor Tarkhov, has 29.4% backing. Turnout is estimated at 44.5%. Titov resigned his post as governor following his poor showing in the oblast during the March presidential elections. As a result, the gubernatorial ballot was brought forward six months.
2 Mongolia		General election. Results : Mongolia's ex-communists won 72 out of 76 parliamentary seats after massive voter turnout in this week's elections. The Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won all but four districts across the huge North Asian nation. 984,709 of Mongolia's 1,210,000 voters had cast their ballots - a turnout of 81%.
2 France (Mayote)		The Comoran archipelago, which lies off the east coast of Africa between Mozambique and Madagascar. Authorities of the Comoro Islands have denounced the results of the referendum held on Sunday in Mayotte with the aim of putting the Indian Ocean island under French administration. According to the results released Monday, 72.5 percent of the votes were in favour while 27 percent opposed the move.
3 Belarus		National holiday - Independence Day (3 July 1944) note : date set by referendum of 24 November 1996 ; represents Minsk liberation from German occupation.
3 Fiji		Fiji's military rulers' Laisenia Qarase is sworn in as interim prime minister, replacing ethnic-Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry. Other ministers : Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Fijian Affairs Ratu Epeli Nailatikau ; Attorney-General Mr Alipate Qetaki Finance ; National Planning and Public Enterprise Ratu Jone Kubuabola ; Lands and Mineral Resources Ratu Josua Toganivalu ; Home Affairs and Immigration Ratu Talemo Ratakele ; Women, Culture and Social Welfare Mr Paula Sotutu ; Trade, Commerce, Business Development and Investment Mr Tomasi Vuetilovoni ; Education Mr Nelson Delailomaloma ; Works and Energy Mr Joketani Cokanasiga ; Tourism, Transport, Civil Aviation and Communication Mr Jone Koroitamana ; Labour and Industrial Relations Mr Hector Hatch ; Youth, Sports and Employment Opportunities Mr Keni Dakuidreketi ; Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Sugar Mr Kaliopate Tavola ; Health Mr Pita Nacuva ; Local Government, Housing and Urban Development Mr John Teaiwa ; Agriculture, Fisheries, Forests and ALTA Mr Luke Ratuvuki ; Regional Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs Mr Fatiaki Misau ; Assistant Minister for Fijian Affairs Ratu Suliano Matanitobua
4 United States		National holiday - Independence Day (1776)
4 Cayman Islands		National holiday - Constitution Day (first Monday in July)
5 Cape Verde		National holiday - Independence Day (5 July 1975 from Portugal)
5 Man, Isle of		National holiday - Tynwald Day
5 Venezuela		National holiday - Independence Day (1811) (from Spain)
5 Turkey		Former Turkish islamist Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan was sentenced to a year imprisonment by the Supreme Court of Appeal in Ankara, for "incitation to religious or racial hatred". He was also forbiden to make politics, for life.
5 Yuguslavia		President Slobodan Milosevic's allies have asked parliament to make changes in the Yugoslav constitution which could enable Milosevic to be re-elected after his term expires next year.The proposals also include changes in the election of the federal parliament - a move which could downgrade the position of pro-Western Montenegro - Serbia's smaller partner in the Yugoslav federation.
6 Comoros		National holiday - Independence Day (6 July 1975 from France)
6 Malawi		National holiday - Independence Day (1964) (from UK) ; Republic Day (1966)
6 Solomon Islands		National holiday - Independence Day 7 July 1978 (from UK)