ber 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
- Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June 2000

Taiwan
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000)
and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank
HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of
the Executive Yuan) - WU Rong-i) (since 18 February 2005)
cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 20 March
2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the
president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the premier
election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of
vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%

Tajikistan
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6
November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19
November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
set a limit of two seven-year terms for the president
election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%

Tanzania
chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head o