Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera
GUTERRES (since 28 October 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January
2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO elected president; percent of
vote—Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Social
Democrat) 46.2%
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or
Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 October 1995 (next to be held by 1 October
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party—PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU
8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats by party—PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica,
judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or PSD
Popular Party or PP (formerly known as Center Democratic Party or
SERGIO]; United Democratic Coalition or CDU (communists; includes
International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MINURCA, MINURSO, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP,
UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fernando Antonio de Lacerda ANDRESEN
GUIMARAES
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), New
Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island), and San Francisco
consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald S. MCGOWAN embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag description: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line
Economy