son of the monarch (selected crown
prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds
the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the
armed forces

head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch
(since 20 January 1998)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

note: in March 1999 Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at
improving the provision of municipal services

Reunion:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996)

head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a
seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those
councils

Romania:
chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December
2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29
December 2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA
November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu
Vadim TUDOR 33.16%

Russia:
chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN
(acting president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)

head of government: Premier Mikhail Mikhaylovich KASYANOV (since 7
May 2000); First Deputy Premier Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 18
May 2000), Deputy Premiers Aleksey Vasilyevich GORDEYEV (since 20
May 2000), Viktor Borisovich KHRISTENKO (since 31 May 1999), Ilya
Iosifovich KLEBANOV (since 31 May 1999), Valentina Ivanovna
MATVIYENKO (since 22 September 1998)

cabinet: Ministri