2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January
2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007)
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a
one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last
held 13 December 2006 (next to be held December 2007)
election results: Micheline CALMY-REY elected president; percent of
Federal Assembly vote - 76.5%; Pascal COUCHEPIN elected vice
president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%

Syria
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000);
Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees
foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006)
oversees cultural policy
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah
al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president approved by popular referendum for a seven-year
term (no term limits); referendum last held 10 July 2000 after the
death of President Hafiz al-ASAD (next to be held July 2007); the
president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister and deputy
prime ministers
election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of
vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June; he was approved by a popular
referendum on 10 July

Taiwan
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000)
and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) SU
Tseng-chang (since 25 January 2006) and Vice Premier (Vice President
of the Executive Yuan) TSAI Ing-wen (since 25 January 2006)
cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on
recommendation of premier)
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket