National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 26 September (1962)

Executive branch: president, vice president, prime minister, four deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral Consultative Assembly
(Majlis ash-Shura)

Judicial branch: State Security Court

Leaders: Chief of State—President Col. Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 18 July 1978); Vice President (vacant);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Abd al-Aziz ABD AL-GHANI (since 12 November 1983, previously prime minister from 1975-1980 and co-Vice President from October 1980 to November 1983)

Political parties and leaders: no legal political parties; in 1983 President Salih started the General People's Congress, which is designed to function as the country's sole political party

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: Consultative Assembly—last held 5 July 1988 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(159 total, 128 elected)

Communists: small number