Pitcairn Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand
and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL
(since NA December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leon SALT
(since NA); serves as liaison between the governor and the Island
Council
head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Steve
CHRISTIAN (since 7 December 1999)
cabinet: NA
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
commissioner appointed by the monarch; island magistrate elected by
popular vote for a three-year term; election last held NA December
1999 (next to be held NA December 2002)
election results: Steve CHRISTIAN elected mayor; percent of vote -
NA%
Poland
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23
December 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Leszek MILLER (SLD) (since 19
October 2001), Deputy Prime Ministers Marek POL (since 19 October
2001), Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005);
prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
and confirmed by the Sejm
election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%
Portugal
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since
6 April 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January
2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
- Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
(Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%
Puerto Rico
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
(since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20
January 2001)
head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held
2 November 2004)
election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected governor; percent
of vote - 48.6%
note: residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice
president
Qatar
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June
1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin
Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASIM bin Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown
prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds
the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the
armed forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch
(since 20 January 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
for the CMC was held in March 1999
Reunion
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17
May 1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA)
head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
Romania
chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December
2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA
November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu
Vadim TUDOR 33.16%
Russia
chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN
(acting president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
head of government: Premier Mikhail Mikhaylovich KASYANOV (since 7
May 2000); Deputy Premiers Viktor Borisovich KHRISTENKO (since 31
May 1999), Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 18 May 2000), Aleksey
Vasilyevich GORDEYEV (since 20 May 2000), Boris Sergeyevich ALESHIN
(since 24 April 2003), Galina Nikolayevna KARELOVA (since 24 April
2003), Vladimir Anatolyevich YAKOVLEV (since 16 June 2003)
cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other
individuals; all are appointed by the president
note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
Security Council also reports directly to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 26 March 2000 (next to be held March 2004); note
- no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
of the Duma
election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN elected president;
percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 52.9%, Gennadiy
Andreyevich ZYUGANOV 29.2%, Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY 5.8%
Rwanda
chief of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since
22 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
popular vote; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
Saint Helena
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY
(since NA October 2003)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
the monarch