Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution: new constitution approved by referendum March 1992 but is now being redrafted by President SASSOU-NGUESSO
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note—the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: normally the prime minister, appointed from the
majority party by the president; however, since his inauguration,
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO has been both chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997
but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new
constitution)
election results: Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992; percent
of vote—Pascal LISSOUBA 61%, Bernard KOLELAS 39%; note—LISSOUBA was
deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
Legislative branch: unicameral National Transitional Council (75
seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates;
note—the National Transitioanl Council replaced the bicameral
Paarliament in mid-1997
elections: National Transitional Council—last held NA January 1998
(next to be held NA 2001); note—at that election the National
Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral assembly
election results: National Transitional Council—percent of vote by
party—NA; seats by party—NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: the most important of the many
SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Association for Democracy and
TCHICAYA, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral
BOKAMBA-YANGOUMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Union of Congolese
Socialist Youth or UJSC; Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC;
Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; General Union of
Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC