Constitution: 6 January 1986
Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: the president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a four-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2003) election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote-Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members serve NA-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members serve NA-year terms) elections: Senate-last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2003); House of Representatives-last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2003) election results: Senate: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note-the Alliance of Political Parties was a coalition of Liberian Action Party and Liberian Unification Party
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party: National Patriotic Party or NPP [Charles Ghankay TAYLOR,
leader]
opposition party: All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Alhaji KROMAH,
chairman]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Fayah GBOLLIE, chairman];
Liberian Action Party or LAP [Cletis WOTORSON]; Liberian National
Union or LINU [Harry MONIBA, chairman]; Liberian Peoples Party or LPP
[Togba-Nah TIPOTEH, chairman]; Liberian Unification Party or LUP
[Laveli SUPUWOOD]; National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [Dr.
George E. Saigbe BOLEY, chairman]; National Reformation Party or NRP
[Martin SHERIF, chairman]; People's Democratic Party of Liberia or
PDPL [George Toe WASHINGTON, chairman]; People's Progressive Party or
PPP [Chea CHEAPOO, chairman]; Reformation Alliance Party or RAP [Henry
Boimah FAHNBULLEH, chairman]; True Whig Party or TWP [Rudolph SHERMAN,
chairman]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF, chairman]; United
People's Party or UPP [Gabriel Baccus MATTHEWS, chairman]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador designate Rachel DIGGS; Charge d'Affaires ad interim Konah K. BLACKETT chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission William MILAM embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia mailing address: P. O. Box 100098, Mamba Point, Monrovia telephone: [231] 226-370 FAX: [231] 226-148