e Marxism-Leninism.

FORMAL STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT

The People's Assembly

The Constitution established the People's Assembly as the legislative
branch of the government and refers to it as "the highest organ of state
power." Representatives to the Assembly are elected from a single list
of Party-selected candidates for a term of four years in a ratio of 1
representative for every 8,000 inhabitants. The Assembly meets in two
regularly scheduled sessions annually, and there is constitutional
provision for the convening of extraordinary sessions.

All legislative power is vested in the People's Assembly, although
proposals for legislation and for constitutional amendments can be made
by the Presidium of the People's Assembly or the Council of Ministers,
as well as by members of the Assembly itself. Bills become laws after an
affirmative vote by a simple majority of the Assembly, but an amendment
to the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote. In practice, the
Assembly listens to the reading of bills drawn up by its Presidium and
then votes unanimous approval.

The Assembly elects officers to preside over its meetings and direct its
affairs. Usually a chairman, two vice chairmen, and a secretary are
elected for the four-year term of the Assembly. The chairman of the
People's Assembly in 1970 was Abdyl Kellezi, who was concurrently a
candidate member of the Party, Political Bureau (Politburo). One of the
two vice chairmen and the secretary were also members of the Party
Central Committee. The Assembly has the power to appoint commissions, to
carry out specific functions, or to conduct investigations.

The Presidium

The Constitution provides that the People's Assembly elect its
Presidium, which is made up of a president, two vice presidents, a
secretary, and ten members. The president of the Presidium becomes the
titular chief of state and, in 1970, this office was held by Haxhi
Leshi, a member of the Party Central Committee. Enver Hoxha was one of
the ten members of the Presidium, and a majority of the other Presidium
members concurrently held high Party positions. Because of the
infrequent and short meetings of the Assembly and because the real
power, that is Party power, is held by the Presidium, it has become the
actual legislative branch of government.

The Presidium performs several functions besides that of conducting the
affairs of the Assembly between sessions. It calls for the elections of
represent