ince
13 March 2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Mikhail DEMCHUK (since 14
July 2000), Mikhail KHORSTOV (since 27 November 2000), Valeriy
KOKOREV (since 23 August 1994), Leonid KOZIK (since 4 February
1997), Gennadiy NOVITSKIY (since 11 February 1997), Aleksandr POPKOV
(since 10 November 1998)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held
NA; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should
have been held in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001
via the November 1996 referendum); prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president

election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO elected president; percent
of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 85%, Vyacheslav KEBICH 15%

Belgium:
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir
Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved
by Parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch and then approved by Parliament

note: government coalition - VLD, PRL, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO

Belize:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17
November 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Said MUSA (since 27 August
1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; governor general appoints the member of
the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to
be prime minister

Benin:
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year
term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March
2006)