1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 9 January 1987

Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review
administrative acts

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Violeta Barrios de
CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990) was elected for a six-year term
(amended to a five-year term in July 1995) by universal suffrage;
Vice President Julia MENA Rivera (since 22 October 1995) replaced
Virgilio GODOY, who resigned to run for the presidency in 1996 as
required by law; election last held 25 February 1990 (next to be
held 20 October 1996); results - Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO)
54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 40.8%, other 4.5%
cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional): elections last held 25
February 1990 (next to be held NA October 1996); results - UNO
coalition 53.9%, Sandinista bloc 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats -
(92 total) UNO coalition 53 (Center Group 9, UDC 6, PSD 5, APC 5,
PLC 5, PLI 4, PND 3, PAN 3, PNC 3, MDN 2, PCdeN 2, independents 6)
and Sandinista bloc 39 (MRS 16, BUS-Sandinista 9, FSLN 8, Sandinista
Group of Reflection 4, FSLN-independents 2)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges elected for
a six-year term (amended to a seven-year term in July 1995) by the
National Assembly

Political parties and leaders:
right: Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Arnold ALEMAN;
Conservative Popular Alliance Party (APC), Myriam ARGUELLO;
Independent Liberal Party for National Unity (PLIUN), Carlos GUERRA
Gallardo; Conservative Action Movement (MAC); Conservative Party of
Nicaragua (PCN - formed in 1992 by the merger of the Conservative
Social Party or PSC with the Democratic Conservative Party or PCD
and the Conservative party of Labor or PCL), Fernando AGUERO;
National Conservative Party (PNC), Adolfo CALERO, Noel VIDUARRE
center right: Neoliberal Party (PALI), Ricardo VEGA Garcia;
Nicaraguan Resistance Party (PRN), Fabio GADEA, Enrique QUINONEZ;
Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO; National Project
(PRONAL), Antonio LACAYO Oyanguren; Nicaraguan Democratic Alliance
Party (PADENIC), Pedro MAYORGA Knilands; Nationalist Liberal Party
(PLN), Roberto CASTILLO Quant; Party for Liberal Unity (PUL),
Haroldo MONTEALEGRE; Fuerza '96, Francesco MAYOR