2003 est.)

Government Reunion

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
local long form: none
former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 16 August 2004)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens
22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7
note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be