National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May (1811)
Constitution:
promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system:
based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial
review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI (since 15 August 2003); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI (since 15 August 2003); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
2003 (next to be held NA April 2008)
election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent
of vote - Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators
or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara
de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
held NA May 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
(next to be held NA May 2008)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7,
PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, MPQ 10, PPS 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo
de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders:
Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Nicanor
DUARTE FRUTOS]; Movimiento Patria Querida or MPQ [Pedro Nicolas
Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Colorados Eticos
or UNACE [Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or
PEN [Diego ABENTE Brun]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA
[Julio Cesar FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto
FILIZZOLA Pallares]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT;
Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church;
Unitary Workers Central or CUT
International organization participation:
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MONUC, NAM (observer),
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO