Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence:

15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA);
head of government: Prime Minister Isidore MVOUBA (since 7 January
2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next
to be held in 2009)
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
2.7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are
elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National
Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held in July
2008); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next
to be held in 2012)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - FDU 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD
5, independents 37, other 22

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Movement for Democracy
and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Congolese
Labour Party or PCT; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD;
Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI];
Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre
Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic
or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or
UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less
important parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese
Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women
or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or U