2010)
election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president;
percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR
35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed
to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went
to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.7%, NDP 22.2%,
VVV 13.8%, A-Com 7.2%, A-1 5.9%, other 11.2%; seats by party - NF
23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3

Judicial branch:

Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court
(justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders:

Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or
APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21
[Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY],
Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or
T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP
[Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire
BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a
coalition that includes A-Combination or A-Com, Democratic
Alternative 1991 or DA-91, an independent, business-oriented party
[Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald
VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien SARDJOE], Pertjaja
Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA
[Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or
DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a
coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules
WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD
[Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the
Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,
Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL
[Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU
[Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA];
Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj
PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association
of Saramaccan Authorities or Ma