Political Frailty

[Deathrace 1,171]

12 minutes ago, msc said:

Norman Fowler photo, apparently from this week going by Twitter.

 

 

Not much different to how he's looked for the past 3-4 years 

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

Heseltine is another one I've seen recently – looking quite frail now. He's gone from being very active to barely active.

I think lockdown really slowed a lot of these guys down. They lost a purpose, and they weren't able to stay half as active as they'd normally be.

[gcreptile 10,979]

Minnesota senator and former presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar had breast cancer, but seems okay again now:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-amy-klobuchar-reveals-breast-cancer-diagnosis-n1278794

[YoungWillz 21,062]

Bruce McFee, SNP List MSP for West of Scotland between 2003 and 2007, being reported dead, aged 60: 

 

[YoungWillz 21,062]

Former civil servant and diplomat Anthony Acland, dead to join with Thatcher again: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/09/09/sir-antony-acland-foreign-office-permanent-under-secretary-ambassador/

[msc 18,479]

6 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

Former civil servant and diplomat Anthony Acland, dead to join with Thatcher again: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/09/09/sir-antony-acland-foreign-office-permanent-under-secretary-ambassador/

 

If the civil service could pick Prime Ministers, well tbh they'd probably do a better job than Boris Johnson by default. Anyhow, a former Eton Provost, just like British horror great M.R. James!

[arghton 6,756]

On 06/09/2021 at 20:58, arghton said:

Panjshir apparently captured, atleast according to taliban...

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/5/afghanistan-will-likely-erupt-in-civil-war-top-us-general

Mohammad Fahim Dashty, Panjshir spokesperson has died aged 47. Either shot or killed by a Pakistani drone (according to defense analyst Babak Taghvaee).

Close associate of Ahmad Shah Massoud, survived Massoud's assasination in 2001. Also Abdullah Abdullah's nephew.

 

Four (or according to some sources only two) major commanders have been killed, one of them apparently being Saleh Mohammad Registani.

There have been claims about Ahmad Massoud the younger and Amrullah Saleh fleeing the country. Taliban's claims about conquering Panjshir are also apparently wrong and the National Resistance Front still controls 60% of the province.

 

However, according to the new NRF spokesperson Ali Maisam Nazary, Saleh and Massoud are still in Afghanistan and "will never abandon their people"

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

On 27/08/2021 at 22:35, drol said:

Former Portugal president Jorge Sampaio in a serious condition.

Jorge Sampaio (wiki), President of Portugal (1996–2006), dead at 81.

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

14 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Bruce McFee, SNP List MSP for West of Scotland between 2003 and 2007, being reported dead, aged 60: 

 

Daily Record first in with coverage.

Supposedly suffered a stroke in March 2019, aged 57. Required full-time care from that point onwards. Nasty way to go.

[arghton 6,756]

Jón Sigurðsson (1946-2021), Iceland's Minister of Industry and Commerce 2006-2007 and Central Bank governor 2003-2006 dead aged 75 after a long battle with prostate cancer:

https://www.ruv.is/frett/2021/09/10/jon-sigurdsson-fyrrverandi-sedlabankastjori-latinn

 

Not to be confused with Jón Sigurðsson (1941-), Minister of Industry and Commerce 1988-1991 and 1991-1993.

 

 

Iceland usually has small cabinets. Earliest living Ministers seem to be:

 

Ólafur Jóhannesson's Second Cabinet 1978-1979:

Hjörleifur Guttormsson (1935-) Minister of Industry 1978-1979 and 1980-1983

Ragnar Arnalds (1939-2022) Minister of Education and Transportation 1978-1979, Minister of Finance 1980-1983

Gunnar Thorodssen's Cabinet 1980-1983:

Guttormsson, mentioned above.

Ingvar Gíslason (1926-2022) Minister of Education, Science and Culture 1980-1983

Arnalds, mentioned above.

Steingrímur Hermannsson's First Cabinet 1983-1987:

Þorsteinn Pálsson (1947-) Minister of Finance 1985-1987, Minister of Industy 1987, Prime Minister 1987-1988, Minister of Fisheries and Minister of Justice 1991-1999

Most of the ministers in the Palsson cabinet are still living.

[arghton 6,756]

On 19/06/2021 at 13:31, arghton said:

After the death of Kenneth Kaunda, third and earliest alive Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement 1970-1973, the earliest alive Secretary-General of the organization is Borisav Jović. Here is a list of the earliest ones alive, before 2010:

 

Borisav Jović (b. 1928) 12th Secretary-General 1990-1991, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia 1990-1991.

Stjepan Mesić (b. 1934) 13th Secretary-General 1991, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia 1991 and President of Croatia 2000-2010.

Ernest Samper (b. 1950) 17th Secretary-General 1995-1998, President of Colombia 1994-1998

Andrés Pastrana Arango (b. 1954) 18th Secretary-General 1998, President of Colombia 1998-2002

Thabo Mbeki (b. 1942) 20th Secretary-General 1999-2003, President of South Africa 1999-2008

Mahathir Mohamad (b. 1925) 21st Secretary-General 2003, longtime Malaysian leader

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (b. 1939) 22nd Secretary-General 2003-2006, Prime Minister of Malaysia 2003-2008

Raul Castro (b. 1931) 24th Secretary-General 2006-2009, Leader of Cuba 2011-2019

Dead. Also former President of Yugoslavia 1990-1991

https://www.atvbl.com/vijesti/srbija/preminuo-borisav-jovic-13-9-2021

 

During the last 15 years, seven former Heads of State of Yugoslavia have died. Only Raif Dizdarevic (1926-) and Stjepan Mesic (1934-) left.

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

1 hour ago, arghton said:

Dead. Also former President of Yugoslavia 1990-1991

https://www.atvbl.com/vijesti/srbija/preminuo-borisav-jovic-13-9-2021

At this rate, QEII will outlive every other Cold War (1947–1991) leader of the Western and Eastern blocs. Fascinated to know how many are still around. Perhaps a list for another day. Would require a lot of work though.

[arghton 6,756]

On 13/09/2021 at 21:26, Ulitzer95 said:

At this rate, QEII will outlive every other Cold War (1947–1991) leader of the Western and Eastern blocs. Fascinated to know how many are still around. Perhaps a list for another day. Would require a lot of work though.

If only Europe is counted, I'd say that there are not very many.

 

However I did this "leaders who first came to power 1971-1980" list a while ago, and it's horribly long:

 

1971 - Ali Nasir Muhammad (b. 1939) Prime Minister of South Yemen 1971-1985

Luigi Lonfernini (b. 1938) Captain Regent of San Marino 1971

Marino Vagnetti (1924-?) Captain Regent of San Marino 1971-1972 and 1989

Percival Austin Bramble (b. 1931) Chief Minister of Montserrat 1970-1978

1972 - Abdessalam Jalloud (b. 1944) Prime Minister of Libya 1972-1977 

Ahmed Osman (b. 1930) Prime Minister of Morocco 1972-1979

Queen Kesang Choden (b. 1930) Regent 1972

Jigme Singye Wangchuck (b. 1955) King of Bhutan 1972-2006

Kayatyani Shankar Bajpai (1928-2020) Political Officer in Sikkim 1972-1974

Margrethe II (b. 1940) Queen of Denmark 1972-

Arturo Armando Molina (1927-2021) President of El Salvador 1972-1977

James Fitz-Allen Mitchell (1931-2021) Premier of Saint Vincent 1972-1974, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1984-2000

Guillermo Rodríguez (b. 1924) Acting President of Ecuador 1972-1976

1973 - Henri Lopes (1937-2023) Prime Minister of Congo-Brazzaville 1973-1975

Zaid Rifai (b. 1936) Prime Minister of Jordan 1973-1976, 1984-1989

Carl XVI Gustaf (b. 1946) King of Sweden 1973-

John Hilary Smith (b. 1928) Governor of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands 1973-1978

1974 - Mengistu Haile Mariam (b. 1937) Head of State of Ethiopia as the Chairman of the Derg 1974, 1977-1987, President 1987-1991

Joaquim Chissano (b. 1939) Prime Minister of the Portuguese Mozambique 1974-1975, President of Mozambique 1986-2005

Leonel Mário d'Alva (b. 1935) Portuguese Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister 1974-1975

José Eduardo Martinho Garcia Leandro (b. 1940) Governor of Macau 1974-1979

Nuno Fisher Lopes Pires (b. 1930) and Narciso Mendes Dias (b. 1935) National Salvation Junta of Portugal members, 1974

Juan Carlos I (b. 1938) Acting Head of Spain 1974, King of Spain 1975-2014

Patrick John (1938-2021) Premier of Dominica 1974-1978, Prime Minister of Dominica 1978-1979

Isabel Peron (b. 1931) President of Argentina 1974-1976

1975 - Lopo do Nascimento (b. 1942) Prime Minister of the People's Republic Angola 1975-1978

José Ndele (1940-2000) Prime Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Angola 1975-1976

Paul Biya (b. 1933) Prime Minister of Cameroon 1975-1982, President 1982-

Pedro Pires (b. 1934) Prime Minister of Cape Verde 1975-1991, President 2001-2011

Louis Sylvain Goma (b. 1941) Prime Minister of Congo-Brazzaville 1975-1984

Manuel Pinto da Costa (b. 1937) President of São Tomé and Príncipe 1975-1991, 2011-2016

Miguel Trovoada (b. 1937) Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe 1975-1979, President 1991-2001

Francisco Morales-Bermúdez (1921-2022) Prime Minister of Peru 1975, Head of State 1975-1980

1976 - Abdallah Mohamed Kamil (b. 1936) President of the Government Council of the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas 1976-1977, Prime Minister of Djibouti 1978

Mohamed Lamine Ould Ahmed (b. 1947) Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Prime Minister 1976-1982, 1985-1988

Olusegun Obasanjo (b. 1937) President of Nigeria 1976-1979 and 1999-2007

Mudar Badran (1934-2023) Prime Minister of Jordan 1976-1979, 1980-1984 and 1989-1991

Khieu Samphan (b. 1931) Acting Prime Minister of Cambodia 1976, Chairman of the State Presidium 1976-1979

Selim Hoss (1929-2024) Prime Minister of Lebanon 1976-1980, 1987-1990 and 1998-2000, President of Lebanon 1988-1989 and 1989

Thanin Kraivichien (b. 1927) Prime Minister of Thailand 1976-1977

António Ramalho Eanes (b. 1935) President of Portugal 1976-1986

Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi (b. 1938) Prime Minister of Western Samoa 1976-1982 and 1982, O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa 2007-2017

1977 - Florent Ntsiba (b. 1947) and Denis Sassou Nguesso (b. 1943) as members of the Military Committee of the Congolese Party of Labour, Nguesso later the President of the Republic of Congo 1979-1992 and since 1997

Abdul Ati al-Obeidi (1939-2023) Prime Minister of Libya 1977-1979, head of state as Secretary-General 1979-1981

Désiré Rakotoarijaona (b. 1934) Prime Minister of Madagascar 1977-1988

Dries Van Agt (1931-2024) Prime Minister of the Netherlands 1977-1982

Jimmy Carter (b. 1924) President of the United States 1977-1981

1978 - Henri Maïdou (b. 1936) Prime Minister of the Central African Empire 1978-1979

Hissène Habré (1942-2021) Prime Minister of Chad 1978-1979 and President 1982-1990

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (b. 1937) President of the Maldives 1978-2008

Hans Brunhart (b. 1945) Prime Minister of Liechenstein 1978-1993

Aristides Royo (b. 1940) President of Panama 1978-1982

Ieremia Tabai (b. 1949) Chief Minister of the Gilbert Islands 1978-1979, President of Kiribati 1979-1982 and 1983-1991

Carlos S. Camacho (b. 1937) Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands 1978-1982

1979 - José Eduardo dos Santos (1942-2022) President of Angola 1979-2017

Goukouni Oueddei (b. 1944) President of Chad 1979 and 1979-1982

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (b. 1942) President of Equatorial Guinea 1979-

Jadallah Azzuz at-Talhi (1939-2024) Prime Minister of Libya 1979-1984, 1986-1987

Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla (b. 1940) Prime Minister of Mauritania 1979-1980, 1980-1984 and 1984

Mabandla Dlamini (b. 1930) Prime Minister of Swaziland 1979-1983

Abolhassan Banisadr (1933-2021, later President of Iran 1980-1981), Mir-Hossein Mousavi (b. 1942, later Prime Minister of Iran 1981-1989), Ali Khamenei (b. 1939, later President of Iran 1981-1989 and Supreme Leader of Iran 1989-), Abbas Sheibani (1931-2022), Reza Sadr (b. 1932/1932), Ahmad Jalali (b. 1949) and Habibollah Peyman (b. 1935) as Members of the Council of the Islamic Revolution

Heng Samrin (b. 1934) Head of State of Cambodia 1979-1992 

Edward Schreyer (b. 1935) Governor-General of Canada 1979-1984

Joe Clark (b. 1939) Prime Minister of Canada 1979-1980

Oliver Seraphin (b. 1943) Prime Minister of Dominica 1979-1980

Adolfo Arnoldo Majano (b. 1938) Member and Chairman of the Revolutionary Government Junta of El Salvador 1979-1980

Don Martina (b. 1935) Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles 1979-1984 and 1986-1988

Daniel Ortega (b. 1945, later President 1979-1990 and 2007-), Violeta Chamorro (b. 1929, later President 1990-1997), Sergio Ramirez (b. 1942), Moises Hassan (b. 1942) and Alfonso Robelo (b. 1939) as Members of the Junta of National Reconstruction

David Buffett (b. 1942) Chief Minister of Norfolk Islands 1979-1986, 2006-2007 and 2010-2013

Paul McDonald Calvo (1934-2024) Governor of Guam 1979-1983

-----

1980 - Jean-Pierre Lebouder (b. 1944) Prime Minister of the Central African Republic 1980-1981

Cleopa Msuya (b. 1931) Prime Minister of Tanzania 1980-1983 and 1994-1995

Yoweri Museveni (b. 1944) Member of the Presidential Commission of Uganda 1980, later President of Uganda 1986-

Chun Doo-hwan (1931-2021) President of South Korea 1980-1988 

Abdul Rauf al-Kasm (b. 1932) Prime Minister of Syria 1980-1987

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (b. 1930) President of Iceland 1980-1997

Arnaldo Forlani (1925-2023) Prime Minister of Italy 1980-1981

Beatrix (b. 1938) Queen of the Netherlands 1980-2013

James Hennessy (1923-2024) Governor of Belize 1980-1981

Kennedy Simmonds (b. 1936) Premier of Saint Kitts and Nevis 1980-1983, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis 1983-1995

Oswald Skippings (b. 1953) Chief Minister of Turks and Caicos Islands 1980

Norman Saunders (b. 1943) Chief Minister of Turks and Caicos Islands 1980-1985

Julius Chan (b. 1939) Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea 1980-1982, 1994-1997 and 1997

Ati George Sokomanu (b. 1937) President of Vanuatu 1980-1984 and 1984-1989

José Ramón Ávalos Navarrete (1935-2021), Héctor Dada Hirezi (b. 1938) and José Antonio Morales Ehrlich (1935-2021) as Members of the Revolutionary Government Junta of El Salvador

Dési Bouterse (b. 1945) De Facto Head of State of Suriname as the Chairman of the National Military Council 1980-1987 and later President of Suriname 2010-2020. 

 

Not all of these countries were that involved in the Cold War though. There are probably atleast twice as many still living from 1981-1991.

16-18 left from before 1971, including Bulgaria's Tsar Simeon who was not a head of state or government during the cold war, but both before and after it.

[msc 18,479]

I think I can officially retire my list making days! 

[roaming_comrade 471]

2 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

At this rate, QEII will outlive every other Cold War (1947–1991) leader of the Western and Eastern blocs. Fascinated to know how many are still around. Perhaps a list for another day. Would require a lot of work though.

Well Germany still has a lot, 4 in total, 2 of whom were communists of East germany: Youngest is a woman in their mid 70s

[roaming_comrade 471]

Also, note that we have a current ruler of a country besides QEII on the top 100 list again with Paul Biya.

[arghton 6,756]

55 minutes ago, roaming_comrade said:

Well Germany still has a lot, 4 in total, 2 of whom were communists of East germany: Youngest is a woman in their mid 70s

Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, 75.

Marian Calfa (Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia 1989-1992) is only 75, too and a few weeks younger than Bergmann-Pohl.

 

Even younger are:

Miklos Nemeth, last Communist Prime Minister of Hungary 1989-1990, 73

Yasin Said Numan, last Communist Prime Minister of South Yemen 1986-1990, 73

 

Probably the youngest, however, is Cambodia's Lord Supreme Military Commander (his actual full honorary title) Hun Sen, 69.

 

There are also lots of interesting and odd less talked about Eastern Bloc leaders (some outside of Europe), for example the Mongolian ones. Gombojavyn Ochirbat (91) and 1984-1990 Prime Minister Dumaagiin Sodnom (88) are rare examples of Mongolian political longevity

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

15 hours ago, arghton said:

If only Europe is counted, I'd say that there are not very many.

 

However I did this "leaders who first came to power 1971-1980" list a while ago, and it's horribly long: 

 

Not all of these countries were that involved in the Cold War though. There are probably atleast twice as many still living from 1981-1991.

16-18 left from before 1971, including Bulgaria's Tsar Simeon who was not a head of state or government during the cold war, but both before and after it.

No, I’m not talking about countries who played a role in particular Cold War events because that list would be too exhaustive.
 

Very specifically I mean the Western and Eastern blocs outlined in this brilliant Wiki article.

 

I reckon there could be anything from several dozen to ~80 names left. Might make a game in extra curricular with those names next year.

[drol 11,957]

On 19/06/2021 at 12:49, arghton said:

https://www.blesk.cz/clanek/zpravy-politika/682576/klaus-slavi-80-pivo-se-zemanem-a-opulentni-party-na-hrade-dorazil-i-rusky-velvyslanec.html

Also, while checking on former Czech President Vaclav Klaus's condition (he's 80 today), found this article with a video where Klaus is celebrating with current President Milos Zeman.

Vaclav Klaus doesn't look great, but Zeman looks even worse. Possibly a bit drunk, but he's in a wheelchair and looks a bit disoriented and doesn't seem to be able to talk properly. There's also been some talk about Zeman being "unfit for office".

Zeman and Klaus both hospitalised.

[arghton 6,756]

1 hour ago, drol said:

Zeman and Klaus both hospitalised.

Apparently Klaus is there for "unspecified tests", also hospitalised for high blood pressure at the end of last week. Klaus also had covid in february and is/was a vocal opponent of coronavirus restrictions.

 

Zeman is there for "regular tests" according to an adviser. Long-term chainsmoker, long-term heavy drinker with diabetes and in a wheelchair.

[arghton 6,756]

On 16/08/2021 at 18:30, arghton said:

 

 

Quote

Hibatullah Akhundzada (1961-) De facto Emir of Afghanistan since the 16th of August 2021. Date of picture is unknown.

 

Currently unclear:

 

Abdul Ghani Baradar (1968-) Taliban co-founder, reported to be the current Head of Government yesterday, likely the next person to hold the title of "President".

Currently First Vice Emir, Political head of the Taliban.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/14/questions-in-kabul-as-two-top-taliban-leaders-missing-from-public-view

Akhundzada hasn't been seen since Taliban took over, Baradar has been mysteriously missing for multiple days.

[YoungWillz 21,062]

Jersey's former Planning and Environment Minister Rob Duhamel reported dead by the BBC: 

 

[arghton 6,756]

On 05/09/2021 at 12:57, arghton said:

https://www.iltalehti.fi/politiikka/a/7893c5b8-b55c-4045-90ca-3d2442dd9ed8

Jyrki Kasvi told Helsingin Sanomat today that his cancers have reduced. However later this day he was told that multiple of his cancers are active and this growth can't be stopped with radiotherapy. Mentions that there are still some experimental meds that could work.

https://www.iltalehti.fi/politiikka/a/2946920a-8723-450c-aa90-ae93eb774d35

Update: Jyrki Kasvi has new mutations, including one next to his aorta. Will start radiotherapy and another experimental treatment that, according to doctors could work with an experimental medicine he is using.

[drol 11,957]

On 14/09/2021 at 17:57, arghton said:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/14/questions-in-kabul-as-two-top-taliban-leaders-missing-from-public-view

Akhundzada hasn't been seen since Taliban took over, Baradar has been mysteriously missing for multiple days.

Baradar reappears sadly alive and well.

[arghton 6,756]

https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/spokesperson-provides-details-on-the-state-of-president-zeman-s-health

Milos Zeman and Vaclav Klaus still in hospital, Zeman was "dehydrated and exhausted" but will return to work next week, Klaus might be discharged at the end of the week.