Presidential election in Russia on 4 March 2012 · Presidential election in South-Ossetia on 25 March 2012 · Presidential election in France on 22 April 2012

EUROPEAN HEADS OF STATE

1. Currently 42 republics (red), 11 monarchies (blue) and one Holy See (yellow) are located in Europe.
2. Seven of the 57 current heads of state are women: the queens of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as the presidents of Finland, Lithuania, Switzerland and Kosovo. San Marino can add one or two of their Captains Regent to this list, but since they are elected every half year, the situation changes often.
3. As said, the republic of San Marino has two heads of state: two Captains Regent are elected every six months (which makes it very hard to find any decent photgraphs of them on the internet; you will find their space empty most of the time).
4. The principality of Andorra, too, has two heads of state (which makes it in fact a 'biarchy', rather than a monarchy): the bishop of Urgel (Spain) and the descendants of the count of Foix (France) are both co-princes. In modern times the president of France serves as the French co-prince (his or her picture is listed under 'France').
5. Bosnia and Hercegovina have a three-member rotating presidency, consisting of a Bosniak, a Croat and a Serb. They are chosen for a four-year term. One of them is president of the presidency; this system rotates every eight months. The current members are Nebojša Radmanović (Ser), Željko Komšić (Cro) and Bakir Izetbegović (Bos).
6. The head of state of Switzerland is the presiding member of the Swiss Federal Council; he is elected for one year. Traditionally the duty rotates among the members in order of seniority and the previous year's vice-president becomes president the next year.