Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996); Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996); Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet : Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly note: Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 23 May 1996; runoff election held 5 September 1996 (next to be held NA May 2001) election results: Jules WIJDENBOSCH elected president; percent of legislative vote NA; National Assembly failed to elect president; results reflect the People's Assembly votes - Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) 438, Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 407
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections : last held 23 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 16, NF 14, BVD 5, KTPI 5, DA'91 4, Pendawa Lima 4, Alliance 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices nominated for life
Political parties and leaders: The New Front (NF), a coalition of
three parties (NPS, VHP, SPA), leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN; Progressive
Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of Suriname
(NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of National Unity and Solidarity
(KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party (SPA), Fred DERBY;
Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), a coalition of two parties (AF,
and BEP) formed in January 1991, Winston JESSURUN; Alternative Forum
(AF), Rick VAN RAVENSWAY; Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics
(BEP), Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Paul SOMOHARDJO; National
Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm
Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS; The Progressive Development
Alliance, a combination of three parties (DP, HPP, PVF), Frank
PLAYFAIR; Democratic Party (DP), Frank PLAYFAIR; Reformed Progressive
Party (HPP), Harry KISOENSINGH; Party of the Federation of Land
Workers PVF), Jwan SITAL; Party for Renewal and Democracy (BVD), Atta
MUNGRA; Independent Progressive Democratic Alternative (OPDA),
Joginder RAMKHILAWAN
Political pressure groups and leaders: Union for Liberation and
Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement,
Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO;
General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), George TIRINI