Constitution: passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7
January 1995
Legal system: based on French law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ange PATASSE (since 22 October 1993)
elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last
held 19 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - PATASSE
received 52.45% of the votes and Abel GOUMBA received 45.62%
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE (since 6 June
1996); appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 19
September 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (85 total) MLPC 33, RDC 14, PLD 7, ADP 6, PSD 3,
others 22
note: the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional
Council (Conseil Economique et Regional); when they sit together
they are called the Congress (Congres)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), judges appointed by
the president; Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the
president
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress
(ADP), Tchapka BREDE; Central African Democratic Assembly (RDC),
Andre KOLINGBA; Civic Forum (FC), Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA; Liberal
Democratic Party (PLD), Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON; Movement for the
Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC), the party of the
president, Ange Felix PATASSE; Movement for Democracy and
Development (MDD), David DACKO; Marginal Movement for Democracy,
Renaissance and Evolution (MDREC), Joseph BENDOUNGA; Patriotic Front
for Progress (FFP), Abel GOUMBA; Social Democratic Party (PSD),
Enoch Derant LAKOUE
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henri KOBA chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800, 7801 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Mosina H. JORDAN embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00, 61 25 78, 61 02 10 FAX: [236] 61 44 94