Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of
English common law in certain areas
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice
President Angidi Verriah CHETTIAR (since 28 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 27
December 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 28 June 1997 (next
to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime minister
appointed by the president and are responsible to the National
Assembly
election results: Cassam UTEEM reelected president and Angidi
Verriah CHETTIAR elected vice president; percent of vote by the
National Assembly—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (66 seats—62
elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from
the losing political parties to give representation to various
ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by
December 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party—MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/MMR 20%,
other 15%; seats by party—MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on
Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1,
Hizbullah 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
RAMGOOLAM]
Paramhansa NABABSING]; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD
Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions