10 September 1990

Legal system:

based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Joachim Rafael BRANCO (since 22
June 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
proposal of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next
to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National
Assembly and approved by the president
election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of
vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP
28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, others 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD
23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM [Tome Soares da VERA
CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [[Patrice TROVOADA];
Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social
Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New Way Movement or
NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim NEVES];
Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association of Sao Tome and Principe NGOs or FONG
other: the media

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA
chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022
telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580
FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348
consulate(s): Atlanta

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the
Ambassador to Ga