partment of France); there
are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
government, but there are four arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47
cantons

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 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 of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996)
head of government: President of the General Council Christophe PAYET
(since 4 April 1994) and President of the Regional Council Margarite
SUDRE (since 25 June 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections: prefect appointed by the president of France 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,
who vote on party lines

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (47 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and unicameral
Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote
to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council-last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA
2000); Regional Council-last held 25 June 1993 (next to be held NA
1999)
election results: General Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party-PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional
Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UPF 17, Free-Dom
Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6
note: Reunion elects 3 representatives to the French Senate; elections
last held 24 September 1992 (next to be held NA); results-percent of
vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPR 1, FRA 1, independent 1; Reunion
also elects 5 deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA); results-percent of
vote by party-NA; seats by party-PCR 3, PS 1, and RPR-UDF 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre
Maurice PIHOUEE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Ibrahim DINDAN];
Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; France-Reunion Future
or FRA [Andre THIEN AH KOON]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude
FRUTEAU]; Center of Social Democrats or CDS; Union for France or UPF
(includes RPR and UDF); Free-DOM Movement [Marguerite SUDRE]; National
Fr