National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II), 22
October (1978)
Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March
1968)
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal
SODANO (since 2 December 1990)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death
of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of
influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation: IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat,
IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer),
UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer)