lix PATASSE
(since 22 October 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Martin ZIGUELE (since 1 April
2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 19 September 1999 (next to be held NA 2005);
prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ange-Felix PATASSE reelected president; percent
of vote - Ange-Felix PATASSE 51.63%, Andre KOLINGBA 19.38%, David
DACKO 11.15%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms; note - there were 85 seats in the National Assembly
before the 1998 election)

elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to
be held NA 2003)

election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

note: the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional
Council or Conseil Economique et Regional; when they sit together
they are called the Congress or Congres

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court
(all judges appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; Criminal
Courts

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress
or ADP [Francois PEHOUA]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC
[Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA];
Democratic Forum or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party
or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and
Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the
Central African People or MLPC [the party of the president,
Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel
GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [leader NA];
National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU,
OIC (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Emm