Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) and municipal courts
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President-Elect Violeta
Barios de CHAMORRO (since 25 February 1990; takes office 25 April 1990);
Vice President-elect Virgilio GODOY (since 25 February 1990; takes office
25 April 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
Ruling coalition: National Opposition Union (UNO)—14 party
alliance: National Conservative Party (PNC), Silviano Matamoros;
Conservative Popular Alliance Party (PAPC), Miriam Arguello;
National Conservative Action Party (PANC), Hernaldo Zuniga;
National Democratic Confidence Party (PDCN), Augustin Jarquin;
Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Virgilio Godoy;
Neo-Liberal Party (PALI), Andres Zuniga;
Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Jose Ernesto Somarriba;
National Action Party (PAN), Eduardo Rivas;
Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN), Gustavo Tablada;
Communist Party of Nicaragua (PCdeN), Eli Altimirano;
Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Luis Humberto;
Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN), Roberto Urroz;
Social Democratic Party (PSD), Guillermo Potoy;
Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC), Alejandro Perez;
Opposition parties: Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN),
Daniel Ortega;
Central American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca Rojas;
Democratic Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCDN), Jose Brenes;
Liberal Party of National Unity (PLUIN), Eduardo Coronado;
Movement of Revolutionary Unity (MUR), Francisco Samper;
Social Christian Party (PSC), Erick Ramirez;
Revolutionary Workers' Party (PRT), Bonifacio Miranda;
Social Conservative Party (PSOC), Fernando Aguerro;
Popular Action Movement—Marxist-Leninist (MAP-ML), Isidro Tellez;
Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Mauricio Diaz
Suffrage: universal at age 16