Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) was
elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last
held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January 2001); results -
Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Conservative)
46.2%
head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera
GUTERRES (since 28 October 1995) was appointed by the president
following the October 1995 legislative elections
Council of State: acts as a consultative body to the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on
recommendation of the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica): elections last held 1 October 1995 (next to be held NA October 1999); results - PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU 8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats - (230 total) PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal de Justica),
judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party (PSD),
Marcelo Rebelo DE SOUSA; Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), Antonio
GUTERRES; Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD), Pedro CANAVARRO;
Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Carlos CARVALHAS; Social
Democratic Center (CDS), Manuel MONTEIRO; National Solidarity Party
(PSN), Manuel SERGIO; Center Democratic Party (CDS); United
Democratic Coalition (CDU; communists)
International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA
(observer), MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fernando Antonio de Lacerda ANDRESEN
GUIMARAES
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
Francisco
consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence
(Rhode Island)
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley BAGLEY embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (1) 7266600, 7266659, 7268670, 7268880 FAX: [351] (1) 7269109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line