mbly
note: First Advisor of State maintains significant power
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a constitutional majority vote in the National Assembly after
two votes, by the larger Peoples Assembly (the National Assembly
members and 289 local and regional councillors), for five-year terms;
election last held 23 May 1996; runoff election held 5 September 1996
(next to be held NA May 2001)
election results: Jules WIJDENBOSCH elected president; percent of
legislative vote NA; National Assembly failed to elect president;
results reflect the People's Assembly votes-Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP)
438, Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 407

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or National Assemblee
(51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 23 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NDP 16,
NF 14, BVD 5, KTPI 5, Pendawa Lima 4, Alliance 3, DA '91 2, OPDA 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices nominated for life

Political parties and leaders: The New Front (NF), a coalition of
three parties (NPS, VHP, SPA), leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN; Progressive
Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of Suriname
(NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of National Unity and Solidarity
(KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party (SPA), Fred DERBY;
Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), a coalition of parties (AF, and
BEP) formed in January 1991, Winston JESSURUN; Alternative Forum (AF),
Rick VAN RAVENSWAY; Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP),
Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Paul SOMOHARDJO; National Democratic
Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers'
Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS; The Progressive Development Alliance, a
combination of two parties (HPP, PVF), Harry KISOENSINGH; Democratic
Party (DP), Frank PLAYFAIR; Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Harry
KISOENSINGH; Party of the Federation of Land Workers PVF), Jwan SITAL;
Party for Renewal and Democracy (BVD), Atta MUNGRA; Independent
Progressive Democratic Alternative (OPDA), Joginder RAMKHILAWAN

Political pressure groups and leaders: Union for Liberation and
Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement,
Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO;
General Liberation and Development Party