National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution: 7 June 1992
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (since 16 March
1996) was elected by popular vote; election last held 16 March 1996
(next to be held March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister MASSOUNDI Tadjidine Ben Said
(since March 1996) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale): elections last held 12-20 December 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total) ruling coalition: RDR 15, UNDC 5, MWANGAZA 2; opposition: UDZIMA 8; other smaller parties: 10; two seats remained unfilled
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), two members are appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, plus all the former presidents of the republic
Political parties and leaders: Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party
(CHUMA), Said Ali KEMAL; over 20 political parties are currently
active, the most important of which are Comoran Union for Progress
(UDZIMA), Omar TAMOU; Comoran Party for Democracy and Progress
(PCDP), Ali MROUDJAE; Realizing Freedom's Capability (UWEZO),
Mouazair ABDALLAH; Democratic Front of the Comoros (FDR), Moustapha
CHELKH; Dialogue Proposition Action (DPA/MWANGAZA), Said MCHAWGAMA;
Rally for Change and Democracy (RACHADE), Hassan HACHIM; Union for
Democracy and Decentralization (UNDC), Mohamed Taki Halidi IBRAHAM;
Rally for Democracy and Renewal (RDR); Comoran Popular Front (FPC),
Mohamed HASSANALI, Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA, Abdou MOUSTAKIM
(Secretary General)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AL,
CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Ahamada DJIMBANAOU (ambassador
to the US and Canada)
chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal
and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 336 East
45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010
FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712