vincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca);, Bocas del Toro,
Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama,
San Blas*, Veraguas, Independence:
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November
1821)
Constitution:
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983
Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1903)
Political parties and leaders:
government alliance: Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Alfredo RAMIREZ;
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCALONA; Arnulfista Party (PA),
Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER
other parties:
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ricardo ARIAS Calderon; Democratic
Revolutionary Party (PRD), Gerardo GONZALEZ; Agrarian Labor Party (PALA),
Nestor Tomas GUERRA; Liberal Party (PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta; Doctrinaire
Panamenista Party (PPD), Jose Salvador MUNOZ; Papa Egoro Movement, Ruben
BLADES; Renovacion Civilista, Manuel BURGOS; Civic Renewal Party (PRC),
Tomas HERRERA; National Integration Movement (MINA), Arrigo GUARDIA;
National Unity Mission Party (MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES; Independent
Democratic Union Party (UDI), leader NA; Popular Nationalist Party (PNP),
leader NA
Other political or pressure groups:
National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO); National Council of Private
Enterprise (CONEP); Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE);
National Civic Crusade; National Committee for the Right to Life; Chamber of
Commerce; Panamanian Industrialists Society (SIP); Workers Confederation of
the Republic of Panama (CTRP)
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
President:
last held on 7 May 1989, annulled but later upheld (next to be held May
1994); results - anti-NORIEGA coalition believed to have won about 75% of
the total votes cast

*Panama, Government

Legislative Assembly:
last held on 27 January 1991 (next to be held NA May 1994); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (67 total)
progovernment parties:
PDC 28, MOLIRENA 15, PA 8, PLA 4
opposition parties:
PRD 10, PALA 1, PL 1; note - the PDC went into opposition after President
Guillermo ENDARA ousted the PDC from the coalition government in April 1991
Executive branch: