National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995) represented by Prefect Alain WEIL (since NA), who was
appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior
head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa
BAMANA (since NA 1976)
Legislative branch: unicameral
General Council (Conseil General): elections last held NA March 1994
(next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(19 total) MPM 12, RPR 4, independents 3
French Senate: elections last held 24 September 1995 (next to be
held 24 September 2001); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (1 total) MPM 1
French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993
(next to be held NA 1998); results - UDF-CDS 54.3%, RPR 44.3%; seats
- (1 total) UDF-CDS 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)
Political parties and leaders: Mahoran Popular Movement (MPM),
Younoussa BAMANA; Party for the Mahoran Democratic Rally (PRDM),
Daroueche MAOULIDA; Mahoran Rally for the Republic (RPR), Mansour
KAMARDINE; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Maoulida AHMED; Center
of Social Democrats (CDS)
International organization participation: FZ
Diplomatic representation in US: none (territorial collectivity of
France)