National holiday: Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)
Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution
Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Antonio Lazzaro VOLPINARI and Captain Regent Giovanni Francesco UGOLINI (for the period 1 April-31 October 2002) elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held 1 April 2002 (next to be held NA September 2002); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2006) note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are ten secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister election results: Antonio Lazzaro VOLPINARI and Giovanni Francesco UGOLINI reelected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Gabriele GATTI reelected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA% cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since 26 July 1986)
Legislative branch: unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1
Judicial branch: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII
Political parties and leaders: Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI];
Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN
[leader NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino
Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Romeo RIORRI]; San Marino Popular
Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist
Party or PSS [Augusto CASALI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: CE, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO