Legal system: French law
National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch: French president, Commissioner of the Republic
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council, unicameral Regional
Council
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (Cour d'appel)
Leaders: Chief of State—President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
Head of Government—Commissioner of the Republic Daniel CONSTANTIN (since September 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR),
Francois Mas; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Gilbert Gerard; Communist
Party of Reunion (PCR); France-Reunion Future (FRA), Andre Thien Ah Koon;
Socialist Party (PS), Jean-Claude Fruteau; Social Democrats (CDS), other
small parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Regional Council—last held 16 March 1986 (next to be held March 1991); results—RPR/UDF 36.8%, PCR 28.2%, FRA and other right wing 17.3%, PS 14.1%, other 3.6%; seats—(45 total) RPR/UDF 18, PCR 13, FRA and other right wing 8, PS 6;