National holiday: National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of new constitution)
Constitution: 18 June 1993
Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results : President France Albert RENE reelected; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 59.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 36.72%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (33 seats, 22 popularly elected by direct vote, 11 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 9 percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20-23 July 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 82%, DP 15%, UO 3%; seats by party (elected) - SPPF 21, DP 1; seats by party (awarded) - SPPF 6, DP 4, UO 1 note: the 11 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: ruling party - Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE]; Democratic Party or DP [Sir James MANCHAM]; United Opposition or UO [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] - a coalition of the following parties: Seychelles Party or PS [Wavel RAMKALAWAN], Seychelles Democratic Movement or MSPD[Jacques HONDOUL], and Seychelles Liberal Party or SLP [Ogilvie BERLOUIS]; New Democratic Party [Christopher GILL (former member of DP)]
Political pressure groups and leaders: trade unions; Roman Catholic
Church
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)