hit, Seraye
note: in May 1995 the National Assembly adopted a resolution stating
that the administrative structure of Eritrea, which had been
established by former colonial powers, would consist of only six
provinces when the new constitution, then being drafted, would go into
effect some time in 1998; the new provinces, the names of which had
not been recommended by the US Board on Geographic Names for
recognition by the US government, pending acceptable definition of the
boundaries, were: Anseba, Debub, Debubawi Keyih Bahri, Gash-Barka,
Maakel, and Semanawi Keyih Bahri; more recently, it has been reported
that these provinces have been redesignated regions and renamed
Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Anseba, Gash-Barka, Southern, and
Central

Independence: 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea
Autonomous Region)

National holiday: National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May
(1993)

Constitution: the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993,
was replaced by a new constitution that was promulgated in May 1997

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: NA; note-the transitional constitution of 19 May 1993 did
not provide rules for suffrage, but it seems likely that the final
version of the constitution, which may be promulgated some time in
1998, will follow the example set in the referendum of 1993 and extend
suffrage to all persons 18 years of age or older

Executive branch:
chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note-the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority
note: the president is head of the State Council and National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
held 8 June 1993 (next to be held NA)
election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term
limits not established)
elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
Constituent Assembly which had been established in 1997 to discuss and
ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
living abroad