reditary; prime minister appointed by
the monarch

Bangladesh
chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6
September 2002)
note: the country has a caretaker government until a general
election is held; Iajuddin AHMED remains as President and Minister
of Defense, and all other Cabinet portfolios are held by Caretaker
Advisers (CAs); the Chief CA, Fakhruddin AHMED, is roughly
equivalent to a prime minister
elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16
September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only
presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next
election NA); following legislative elections, the leader of the
party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister
by the president
election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared president-elect by the
Election Commission; he ran unopposed as president; percent of
National Parliament vote - NA

Barbados
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
(since 1 June 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister David THOMPSON (since 16 January
2008)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister
recommends the deputy prime minister

Belarus
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20
July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergey SIDORSKIY (since 19
December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a
November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001;
an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and
allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on
19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime mi