male: NA%
female: NA%

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local long form: Ceska Republika
local short form: Cechy

Data code: EZ

Type of government: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Prague

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, kraj - singular);
Jihocesky, Jihomoravsky, Praha, Severocesky, Severomoravsky,
Stredocesky, Vychodocesky, Zapadocesky

Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

National holiday: National Liberation Day, 8 May; Founding of the
Republic, 28 October

Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vaclav HAVEL (since 26 January 1993) was
elected for a five-year term by the Parliament; election last held
26 January 1993 (next to be held NA January 1998); results - Vaclav
HAVEL was elected
head of government: Prime Minister Vaclav KLAUS (since NA June 1992)
was appointed by the president; Deputy Prime Ministers Ivan KOCARNIK
(since NA June 1992), Josef LUX (since NA June 1992), Jan KALVODA
(since NA June 1992)
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president on recommendation of
the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlament)
Senate (Senate): elections to be held 15-16 November 1996 (next to
be held NA); seats (81 total)
Chamber of Deputies (Snemovna Poslancu): elections last held 5-6
June 1992 (next to be held 31 May-1 June 1996); results - percent of
vote by party NA given breakup and realignment of all parliamentary
opposition parties since 1992; seats - (200 total) governing
coalition (ODS 65, KDS 10, ODA 16, KDU-CSL 15), opposition (CSSD 18,
LB 25, KSCM 10, LSU 9, LSNS 5, CMUS 9, SPR-RSC 6, independents 12)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are
appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, chairman and
deputy chairmen are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
governing coalition: Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Vaclav KLAUS,
chairman; Christian Democratic