f legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June
2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1
June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1
June 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21
March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;
percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL
35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year
terms)
elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the
Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme
Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative
conflict)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic
Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center
or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo
GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA];
National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez];
Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary
Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or
SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and
other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of
Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or
UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union
of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers
Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electri