Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 20 December 1983
Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Armando CALDERON SOL
(since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1
June 1994) election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held March
1999); results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA
Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other
10.49%; because no candidate received a majority, a run-off election
was held 24 April 1994; results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 68.35%,
Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%
cabinet: Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa): elections last held 20
March 1994 (next to be held March 1997); results - ARENA 46.4%, FMLN
25.0%, PDC 21.4%, PCN 4.8%, other 2.4%; seats - (84 total) ARENA 39,
FMLN 21, PDC 18, PCN 4, other 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance (ARENA), Juan Jose DOMENECH, president; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), Salvador SANCHEZ Ceren (aka Leonel GONZALEZ), general coordinator; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ronal UMANA, secretary general; National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary general; Democratic Convergence (CD), Juan Jose MARTEL, secretary general; Unity Movement, Jorge MARTINEZ Menendez, president note: newly formed parties not yet officially recognized by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal: Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Kirio Waldo SALGADO, founder; Social Democratic Party (breakaway from FMLN), Joaquin VILLALOBOS, founder; Social Christian Renovation Movement (MRSC) (breakaway from PDC), Abraham RODRIGUEZ, founder
Other political or pressure groups:
labor organizations: Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant
association; General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate; United
Workers Front (FUT)
business organizations: Productive Alliance (AP), conservative;
National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES),
conservative