Suffrage: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alija IZETBEGOVIC (since 20 December 1990)
was elected by a collective (seven-member) presidency (of which he
is a member); other members of the collective presidency are: Ejup
GANIC (since NA November 1990), Nijaz DURAKOVIC (since NA October
1993), Stjepan KLJUJIC (since NA October 1993), Ivo KOMSIC (since NA
October 1993), Mirko PEJANOVIC (since NA June 1992), Tatjana
LJUJIC-MIJATOVIC (since NA December 1992); the collective presidency
is elected from among the National Assembly with at least two
members drawn from each of the three main ethnic groups
head of government: Prime Minister Hasan MURATOVIC (since 30 January
1996) was elected by the collective presidency and the National
Assembly
cabinet: there is an executive body of ministers with no formal name
who are members of, and responsible to, the National Assembly
note: the president of the Muslim/Croat Federation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina is Kresimir ZUBAK (since 31 May 1994); Vice President
Ejup GANIC (since 31 May 1994); elections for the Presidency of
Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Presidency of the Republika Srpska
will take place between six and nine months after the entry into
force of the Dayton Agreement (14 December 1995)
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly Chamber of Municipalities (Vijece Opeina): elections last held November-December 1990 (next to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA; seats - (110 total) SDA 43, SDS BiH 38, HDZ BiH 23, Party of Democratic Changes 4, DSS 1, SPO 1 Chamber of Citizens (Vijece Gradanstvo): elections last held November-December 1990 (next to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA; seats - (130 total) SDA 43, SDS BiH 34, HDZ BiH 21, Party of Democratic Changes 15, SRSJ BiH 12, LBO 2, DSS 1, DSZ 1, LS 1 note: the new constitution signed as part of the Dayton agreement on 21 November 1995 provides for a new bicameral Parliamentary assembly which will consist of a House of Peoples with 15 delegates, two-thirds from the Muslim/Croat Federation and one-third from the Serbian republic, and a House of Representatives with 42 members, two-thirds from the Muslim/Croat Federation and one-third from the Serbian republic; elections are scheduled to be held six to nine months after the entry into force of the Dayton Agreement
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Civic Democratic Party (GDS), Ibrahim SPAHIC; Party for Bosnia, Haris SILAJDZIC; Croatian Democratic Union of BiH (HDZ), Bozo RAJIC; Croatian Peasants' Party of BiH (HSS), Stanko STISKOVIC; Independent Serbian Democratic Party (NSDS), Petar DODIK; Liberal Bosniak Organization (LBO), Muhamed FILIPOVIC; Liberal Party (LS), Rasim KADIC, president; Muslim-Bosniac Organization (MBO), Adil ZULFIKARPASIC; Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Alija IZETBEGOVIC; Republican Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Stjepan KLUJIC; Serb Democratic Party (SDS), Radovan KARADZIC, president; Serbian Civic Council (SGV), Mirko PEJANOVIC; Serbian Consultative Council, Ljubomir BERBEROVIC; Social Democratic Party (SDP - formerly the Democratic Party of Socialists (DSS)), Nijaz DURAKOVIC, president; Socialist Party of Republika Srpska, Zivko RADISIC; Union of Social Democrats (SSDB), Salim BESLAGIC; United Left of the Bosnian Serb Republic (ULRS), Mile IVOSEVIC; Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO), Milan TRIVUNCIC, note - this party participated in the 1990 elections, but may not exist now; Party of Democratic Changes, leader NA, note - this party participated in the 1990 elections, but may not exist now; Alliance of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SRSJ BiH), Dr. Nenad KECMANOVIC, president, note - this party participated in the 1990 elections, but may not exist now; Democratic League of Greens (DSZ), Drazen PETROVIC, note - this party participated in the 1990 elections, but may not exist now; Yugoslav United Left (JUL), CAREVIC; Serb Liberal Party, Miodrag ZIVANOVIC; Serb Radical Party; Serb Patriotic Party, Slavko ZUPLJANIN; Serb Homeland Party
Other political or pressure groups: NA
International organization participation: CE (guest), CEI, ECE,
FAO, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sven ALKALAJ chancery: Suite 760, 1707 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-3612, 3613, 3615 FAX: [1] (202) 833-2061 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador John K. MENZIES embassy: 43 Ul. Djure Djakovica, Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (71) 645-992, 445-700, 659-743
Flag: white with a large blue shield; the shield contains white fleurs-de-lis with a white diagonal band running from the upper hoist corner to the lower outer side