Lesotho
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996);
note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November
1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the
majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as
regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may
even depose the monarch
Liberia
chief of state: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October
2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
2005)
election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor
stepped down in August 2003
note:: a UN-brokered cease fire among waring factions and the
Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
President Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as chairman of the National
Transitional Government on 14 October 2003
Libya
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
NA)
election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of
General People's Congress vote - NA%
Liechtenstein
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November
1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968)
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April
2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually
appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of
the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the
deputy head of government by the monarch
Lithuania
chief of state: President Rolandas PAKSAS (since 26
February 2003)
head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
July 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the premier
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 22 December 2002 and 5 January 2003 (next to be
held in late 2007); premier appointed by the president on the
approval of the Parliament
election results: Rolandas PAKSAS elected president; percent of vote
- Rolandas PAKSAS 54.9%, Valdas ADAMKUS 45.1%
Luxembourg
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);
Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and DP
Macau
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March
2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government
secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen
elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection
committee for up to two five-year terms
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
chief of state: President
Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 1
November 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October
2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1
November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round
ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI
46.2%; Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected prime minister by Parliament with
72% of the vote
Madagascar
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November
2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of
candidates nominated by the National Assembly
election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%,
Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High
Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5%
after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house
arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime
minister by President RAVALOMANANA
Malawi
chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote
- Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%