on 23 May 1997, but not
yet implemented

Legal system: primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with
revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws
and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Afworki ISAIAS (since 8
June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly head of
government: both the chief of state and head of government and is head
of the State Council and National Assembly cabinet: State Council is
the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president
elections: (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly
did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)
election results: 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 were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as
the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National
Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional
National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once
past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will
be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly
elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinately

Judicial branch: High court, regional, subregional, and village courts;
also have military and special courts

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice
or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [Afworki ISAIAS];
note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties
in January 2001, but the full National Assembly had not yet debated or
voted on it as of December 2001

Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ;
Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean Liberation
Front-Revolutionary Coun