Legal system: based on English common law and Roman civil law; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Freedom Day, 31 March
Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court and Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State—President Vincent (Censu) TABONE (since 4 April 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Dr. Edward (Eddie) FENECH ADAMI (since 12 May 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Guido DE MARCO (since 14 May 1987)
Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward Fenech Adami;
Malta Labor Party, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: House of Representatives—last held on 9 May 1987 (next to be held by May 1992); results—NP 51.1%, MLP 48.9%; seats—(usually 65 total, but additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; current total 69) MLP 34, NP 31 before popular vote adjustment; MLP 34, NP 35 after adjustment