{{short description|none}} {{refimprove|date=January 2025}} {{dynamic list}} {{yearbox| | in?= in Europe | cp= 20th century | c= 21st century | cf= 22nd century | yp1=2003 | yp2=2004 | yp3=2005 | year=2006 | ya1=2007 | ya2=2008 | ya3=2009 | dp3= 1970s | dp2= 1980s | dp1= 1990s | d= 2000s (decade){{!}}2000s | dn1= 2010s | dn2= 2020s | dn3= 2030s }} This is a list of 2006 events that occurred in Europe.

==Incumbents== *'''{{flag|Albania}}''' **President&nbsp;– Alfred Moisiu, President of Albania (2002–2007) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Sali Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania (2005–2013) *'''{{flag|Andorra}}''' **Monarchs&nbsp;– ***French Co-Prince&nbsp;– Jacques Chirac, French Co-prince of Andorra (1995–2007) ****Co-Prince's Representative&nbsp;– Philippe Massoni (2002–2007) ***Episcopal Co-Prince&nbsp;– Joan Enric Vives Sicília, Episcopal Co-prince of Andorra (2003–present) ****Co-Prince's Representative&nbsp;– Nemesi Marqués Oste (1993–2012) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Albert Pintat, Head of Government of Andorra (2005–2009) *'''{{flag|Armenia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Robert Kocharyan, President of Armenia (1998–2008) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Andranik Margaryan, Prime Minister of Armenia (2000–2007) *'''{{flag|Austria}}''' **President&nbsp;– Heinz Fischer, Federal President of Austria (2004–2016) **Chancellor&nbsp;– Wolfgang Schüssel, Federal Chancellor of Austria (2000–2007) *'''{{flag|Azerbaijan}}''' **President&nbsp;– Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan (2003–present) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Artur Rasizade, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan (2003–2018) **{{flag|Nagorno-Karabakh}} (unrecognised, secessionist state) ***President&nbsp;– Arkadi Ghukasyan, President of Nagorno-Karabakh (1997–2007) ***Prime Minister&nbsp;– Anushavan Danielyan, Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh (1999–2007) *'''{{flag|Belarus|1995}}''' **President&nbsp;– Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus (1994–present) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Sergei Sidorsky, Prime Minister of Belarus (2003–2010) *'''{{flag|Belgium|state}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Albert II, King of the Belgians (1993–2013) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Guy Verhofstadt, Prime Minister of Belgium (1999–2008) *'''{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}''' **Head of State&nbsp;– Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina ***Serb Member&nbsp;– Borislav Paravac (2003–2006; Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2004–2005) ***Bosniak Member&nbsp;– ***#Sulejman Tihić (2002–2006) ***#Nebojša Radmanović (2006–2014; Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2006–2007) ***Croat Member&nbsp;– ***#Dragan Čović (2002–2005) ***#Ivo Miro Jović (2005–2006; Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2005–2006) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Adnan Terzić, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002–2007) **High Representative&nbsp;– Lord (Paddy) Ashdown, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002–2006) *'''{{flag|Bulgaria}}''' **President&nbsp;– Georgi Parvanov, President of Bulgaria (2002–2012) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2001–2005) **#Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2005–2009) *'''{{flag|Croatia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Stjepan Mesić, President of Croatia (2000–2010) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of Croatia (2003–2009) *'''{{flag|Cyprus|1960}}''' **President&nbsp;– Tassos Papadopoulos, President of Cyprus (2003–2008) **{{flag|Northern Cyprus}} (unrecognised, secessionist state) ***President&nbsp;– ***#Rauf Denktaş, President of Northern Cyprus (1976–2005) ***#Mehmet Ali Talat, President of Northern Cyprus (2005–2010) ***Prime Minister&nbsp;– ***#Mehmet Ali Talat, Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus (2004–2005) ***#Ferdi Sabit Soyer, Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus (2005–2009) *'''{{flag|Czech Republic}}''' **President&nbsp;– Václav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic (2003–2013) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Jiří Paroubek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic (2005–2006) **# *'''{{flag|Denmark}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark (1972–2024) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark (2001–2009) *'''{{flag|Estonia}}''' **President&nbsp;– **# Arnold Rüütel, President of Estonia (2001–2006) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister of Estonia (2005–2014) *'''{{flag|European Union}}''' **President of the European Commission&nbsp;– José Manuel Barroso **President of the Parliament&nbsp;– Josep Borrell **President of the European Council&nbsp;– **#Wolfgang Schüssel (January–June) **#Matti Vanhanen (July–December) **Presidency of the Council of the EU&nbsp;– **#Austria (January–June) **#Finland (July–December) *'''{{flag|Finland}}''' **President&nbsp;– Tarja Halonen, President of Finland (2000–2012) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Matti Vanhanen, Prime Minister of Finland (2003–2010) *'''{{flag|France}}''' **President&nbsp;– Jacques Chirac, President of France (1995–2007) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister of France (2002–2005) **#Dominique de Villepin, Prime Minister of France (2005–2007) *'''{{flag|Georgia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia (2004–2007) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Zurab Zhvania, Prime Minister of Georgia (2004–2005) **#Zurab Noghaideli, Prime Minister of Georgia (2005–2007) **{{flag|Abkhazia}} (unrecognised, secessionist state) ***President&nbsp;– ***#Vladislav Ardzinba, President of Abkhazia (1990–2005){{Thinsp}}{{efn|Abkhazia only declared independence in 1992.}} ***#Sergei Bagapsh, President of Abkhazia (2005–2011) ***Prime Minister&nbsp;– ***#Nodar Khashba, Prime Minister of Abkhazia (2004–2005) ***#Alexander Ankvab, Prime Minister of Abkhazia (2005–2010) **{{flag|South Ossetia}} (unrecognised, secessionist state) ***President&nbsp;– Eduard Kokoity, President of South Ossetia (2001–2011) ***Prime Minister&nbsp;– ***#Igor Sanakoyev, Prime Minister of South Ossetia (2003–2005) ***#Zurab Kokoyev, Acting Prime Minister of South Ossetia (2005) ***#Yury Morozov, Prime Minister of South Ossetia (2005–2008) *'''{{flag|Germany}}''' **President&nbsp;– Horst Köhler, Federal President of Germany (2004–2010) **Chancellor&nbsp;– **#Gerhard Schröder, Federal Chancellor of Germany (1998–2005) **#Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany (2005–2021) *'''{{flag|Greece}}''' **President&nbsp;– **#Konstantinos Stephanopoulos, President of Greece (1995–2005) **#Karolos Papoulias, President of Greece (2005–2015) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Kostas Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece (2004–2009) *'''{{flag|Hungary}}''' **President&nbsp;– **#Ferenc Mádl, President of Hungary (2000–2005) **#László Sólyom, President of Hungary (2005–2010) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Ferenc Gyurcsány, Prime Minister of Hungary (2004–2009) *'''{{flag|Iceland}}''' **President&nbsp;– Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of Iceland (1996–2016) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Halldór Ásgrímsson, Prime Minister of Iceland (2004–2006) *'''{{flag|Ireland}}''' **President&nbsp;– Mary McAleese, President of Ireland (1997–2011) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach of Ireland (1997–2008) *'''{{flag|Italy|2003}}''' **President&nbsp;– Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of Italy (1999–2006) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Silvio Berlusconi, President of the Council of Ministers of Italy (2001–2006) *'''{{flag|Latvia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, President of Latvia (1999–2007) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Aigars Kalvītis, Prime Minister of Latvia (2004–2007) *'''{{flag|Liechtenstein}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Hans-Adam II, Prince Regnant of Liechtenstein (1989–present) **Regent&nbsp;– Hereditary Prince Alois, Regent of Liechtenstein (2004–present) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Otmar Hasler, Head of Government of Liechtenstein (2001–2009) *'''{{flag|Lithuania}}''' **President&nbsp;– Valdas Adamkus, President of Lithuania (2004–2009) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Algirdas Brazauskas, Prime Minister of Lithuania (2001–2006) *'''{{flag|Luxembourg}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (2000–present) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg (1995–2013) *'''{{flag|Macedonia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Branko Crvenkovski, President of Macedonia (2004–2009) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Vlado Bučkovski, President of the Government of Macedonia (2004–2006) *'''{{flag|Malta}}''' **President&nbsp;– Eddie Fenech Adami, President of Malta (2004–2009) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of Malta (2004–2013) *'''{{flag|Moldova}}''' **President&nbsp;– Vladimir Voronin, President of Moldova (2001–2009) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Vasile Tarlev, Prime Minister of Moldova (2001–2008) **{{flag|Transnistria|state}} (unrecognised, secessionist state) ***President&nbsp;– Igor Smirnov, President of Transnistria (1990–2011){{Thinsp}}{{efn|Transnistria only declared independence in 1991.}} *'''{{flag|Monaco}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– **#Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1949–2005) **#Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (2005–present) **Regent&nbsp;– Hereditary Prince Albert, Regent of Monaco (2005) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Patrick Leclercq, Minister of State of Monaco (2000–2005) **#Jean-Paul Proust, Minister of State of Monaco (2005–2010) *'''{{flag|Kingdom of the Netherlands}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands (1980–2013) **{{flag|Netherlands}} (constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) ***Prime Minister&nbsp;– Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2002–2010) **{{flag|Netherlands Antilles}} (constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) ***''see {{Slink||North America}}'' **{{flag|Aruba}} (constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) ***''see {{Slink||North America}}'' *'''{{flag|Norway}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Harald V, King of Norway (1991–present) **Regent&nbsp;– Crown Prince Haakon, Regent of Norway (2005) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister of Norway (2001–2005) **#Jens Stoltenberg, Prime Minister of Norway (2005–2013) *'''{{flag|Poland}}''' **President&nbsp;– **#Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President of Poland (1995–2005) **#Lech Kaczyński, President of Poland (2005–2010) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Marek Belka, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Poland (2004–2005) **#Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Poland (2005–2006) *'''{{flag|Portugal}}''' **President&nbsp;– Jorge Sampaio, President of Portugal (1996–2006) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Pedro Santana Lopes, Prime Minister of Portugal (2004–2005) **#José Sócrates, Prime Minister of Portugal (2005–2011) *'''{{flag|Romania}}''' **President&nbsp;– Traian Băsescu, President of Romania (2004–2014) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, Prime Minister of Romania (2004–2008) *'''{{flag|Russia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Vladimir Putin, President of Russia (1999–2008) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Mikhail Fradkov, Chairman of the Government of Russia (2004–2007) *'''{{flag|San Marino|1862}}''' **Captains-Regent&nbsp;– **#Giuseppe Arzilli and Roberto Raschi, Captains Regent of San Marino (2004–2005) **#Fausta Morganti and Cesare Gasperoni, Captains Regent of San Marino (2005) **#Claudio Muccioli and Antonello Bacciocchi, Captains Regent of San Marino (2005–2006) *'''{{flag|Serbia and Montenegro}}''' **President&nbsp;– Svetozar Marović, President of Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Svetozar Marović, Prime Minister of Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006) **Kosovo (Self-Governing Entity under UN administration) ***President&nbsp;– Ibrahim Rugova, President of Kosovo (2002–2006) ***Prime Minister&nbsp;– ***#Ramush Haradinaj, Prime Minister of Kosovo (2004–2005) ***#Adem Salihaj, Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo (2005–2005) ***#Bajram Kosumi, Prime Minister of Kosovo (2005–2006) ***UN Special Representative&nbsp;– Søren Jessen-Petersen, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Kosovo (2004–2006) *'''{{flag|Slovakia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Ivan Gašparovič, President of Slovakia (2004–2014) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Mikuláš Dzurinda, Prime Minister of Slovakia (1998–2006) *'''{{flag|Slovenia}}''' **President&nbsp;– Janez Drnovšek, President of Slovenia (2002–2007) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Janez Janša, Prime Minister of Slovenia (2004–2008) *'''{{flag|Spain}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Juan Carlos I, King of Spain (1975–2014) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, President of the Government of Spain (2004–2011) *'''{{flag|Sweden}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden (1973–present) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Göran Persson, Prime Minister of Sweden (1996–2006) *'''{{flag|Switzerland}}''' **Council&nbsp;– Federal Council of Switzerland{{Thinsp}}{{efn|The seven-member Swiss Federal Council is head of state and government collectively. As a party to the Council, the president serves solely in a ''primus inter pares'' capacity for one year.}} ***Members&nbsp;– <!--Ordered by seniority-->Moritz Leuenberger (1995–2010), Pascal Couchepin (1998–2009), Joseph Deiss (1999–2006), Samuel Schmid (2000–2008; President of Switzerland, 2005), Micheline Calmy-Rey (2002–2011), Christoph Blocher (2003–2007), and Hans-Rudolf Merz (2003–2010) *'''{{flag|Turkey}}''' **President&nbsp;– Ahmet Necdet Sezer, President of Turkey (2000–2007) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Turkey (2003–2014) *'''{{flag|Ukraine}}''' **President&nbsp;– **#Leonid Kuchma, President of Ukraine (1994–2005) **#Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (2005–2010) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– **#Viktor Yanukovych, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2002–2005) **#Mykola Azarov, Acting Prime Minister of Ukraine (2005) **#Yulia Tymoshenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2005) **#Yuriy Yekhanurov, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2005–2006) *'''{{flag|United Kingdom}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom (1952–present) **Prime Minister&nbsp;– Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997–2007) **{{flag|Isle of Man}} (Crown dependency of the United Kingdom) ***Lieutenant-Governor&nbsp;– ***#Ian Macfadyen, Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man (2000–2005) ***#Mike Kerruish, Acting Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man (2005) ***#Sir Paul Haddacks, Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man (2005–2011) ***Chief Minister&nbsp;– Donald Gelling, Chief Minister of the Isle of Man (2004–2006) **{{flag|Guernsey}} (Crown dependency of the United Kingdom) ***Lieutenant-Governor&nbsp;– ***#Sir John Foley, Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey (2000–2005) ***#Sir Geoffrey Rowland, Acting Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey (2005) ***#Sir Fabian Malbon, Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey (2005–2011) ***Chief Minister&nbsp;– Laurie Morgan, Chief Minister of Guernsey (2004–2007) **{{flag|Jersey}} (Crown dependency of the United Kingdom) ***Lieutenant-Governor&nbsp;– Sir John Cheshire, Lieutenant Governor of Jersey (2001–2006) ***Chief Minister&nbsp;– Frank Walker, Chief Minister of Jersey (2005–2008) **{{flag|Gibraltar}} (Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom) ***Governor&nbsp;– Sir Francis Richards, Governor of Gibraltar (2003–2006) ***Chief Minister&nbsp;– Peter Caruana, Chief Minister of Gibraltar (1996–2011) *'''{{flag|Vatican City}}''' **Monarch&nbsp;– **#Pope John Paul II, Sovereign of Vatican City (1978–2005) **#''Cardinal Eduardo Martínez Somalo and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger;'' ''interim Government during'' sede vacante (2005) **#Pope Benedict XVI, Sovereign of Vatican City (2005–2013) **Head of Government&nbsp;– Cardinal Edmund Szoka, President of the Governorate of Vatican City (1997–2006) **Holy See (''sui generis'' subject of public international law) ***Secretary of State&nbsp;– Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Cardinal Secretary of State (1990–2006) == Events == === January === * 2006 European cold wave began in early January === July === *July 1 &ndash; Finland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Austria.<ref>{{cite news |last=Georges-Picot |first=Emmanuel |date=August 25, 2006 |title=European leaders to organize new force |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anniston-star-european-leaders-to-or/163281912/ |work=The Anniston Star |access-date=January 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

===October=== * 12 October: The Slovakian Smer-SD was temporarily suspended from membership in The Party of European Socialists (PES) for their plans to enter into coalition with the ultranationalist Slovak National Party (SNS).<ref>[http://www.pes.org/en/news/smer-suspended-pes-political-family SMER suspended from PES political family] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106205652/http://www.pes.org/en/news/smer-suspended-pes-political-family |date=6 January 2011}}, Party of European Socialists, 12 October 2006</ref> This would happen again in 2023.

== See also == {{Portal|Europe|2000s}} * 2006 in the European Union * {{section link|List of state leaders in 2006|Europe}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Notes== {{notelist}}

{{Year in Europe|2006}}

Category:2006 in Europe Category:2000s in Europe Category:Years of the 21st century in Europe