anma, Shefa,
Tafea, Torba

Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution: 30 July 1980

Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 30 March
1998); Deputy Prime Minister Father Walter LINI (since 30 March 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year
term; election for president last held 2 March 1994 (next to be held
NA 1999); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by
Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last
held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Jean Marie LEYE elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - NA; Donald KALPOKAS elected prime minister by
Parliament with a total of 35 votes, other candidate, Rialuth Serge
VOHOR, received 17 votes
note: the general legislative elections in November 1995 did not give
a majority to any of the political parties; since the election, there
have been four changes of government-all of which have been coalitions
formed by Parliamentary vote; Rialuth Serge VOHOR was prime minister
from November 1995 until he resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a
no-confidence vote in Parliament; Maxime Carlot KORMAN was then
elected prime minister and served until he was ousted in a
no-confidence motion on 30 September 1996; VOHOR was then elected
prime minister for a second time; as a result of legislative elections
in March 1998, KALPOKAS was elected prime minister and formed a
coalition government with Father LINI's National United Party (NUP)

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-VP 18,
UMP 12, NUP 11, other and independent 11; note-political party
associations are fluid; there have been four changes of government
since the November 1995 elections
note: the National Council of C