cutive Council appointed by the governor
general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the
governor general

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House
of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from
provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;
completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not
completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not
later than June 2007
election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%,
URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%;
seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU
6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political
parties is fluid (2003)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after
consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges
are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN, party leader];
Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL, party leader];
National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE, party leader; George
MANOA, party president]; National Party [Melchior PEP, party
leader]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Chris HAIVETA,
party leader]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA, party
leader]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA, party leader];
Papua New Guinea Party (was People's Democratic Movement or PDM)
[Sir Mekere MORAUTA, party leader]; People's Action Party or PAP
[Moses MALADINA, party leader]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Ekis
ROPENU, party leader]; People's National Congress or PNC [Peter
O'NEILL, party leader]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Andrew
BAING, party leader]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE, party
leader]; Rural People's Party [Peter NAMUS, party leader]; United
Party [Bire KIMASOPA, party leader]; United Resources Party or UR