d on French civil law system, with common law
influence; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19
September 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote-Paul
BIYA 93%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the
elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve five-year terms; note-the president can either lengthen or
shorten the term of the legislature)
elections: last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-CDPM
109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLJC 1; note-7 contested
seats will be filled in an election at a time to be set by the Supreme
Court
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature,
to be called Senate, which the government says will be established in
1998

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Cameroon People's Democratic Movement
or CPDM (government-controlled and the only party until legalization
of opposition parties in 1990) [Paul BIYA, president]
major opposition parties: Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou
NDAM NJOYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole
DAISSALA, leader]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MLJC [ Marcel
YANDO, leader]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP
[Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John
FRU NDI, leader]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin
Frederick KODOG, leader]; Union of Cameroonian Democratic Forces or
UFOC [Victorin Hameni BIELEU]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for Change or FAC;
Cameroon Anglophone Movement or CAM [Vishe FAI, secretary general]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C,
CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB,