Independence:
17 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)
Constitution:
adopted 14 March 1991
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
(since 23 January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of
vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members
elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
(next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January
and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP
1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1,
CLR 1, independents 9
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE];
Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge
DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party
[Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP
[Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally
for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's
Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and
Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
[Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA