Kenya
chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute
terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the
vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to
avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held
NA December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%
Kiribati
chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003);
Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the
members of the House of Parliament
elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
candidates from among their members and then those candidates
compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote
for a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be
held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the
president
election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
9.1%
Korea, North
chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note -
on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
reelected KIM Jong Il Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
reelected KIM Yong Nam President of its Presidium also with
responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju Premier
head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);
Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun
(since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of
People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the SPA
elections: election last held in September 2003 (next to be held in
September 2008)
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
for positions and ran unopposed
Korea, South
chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25
February 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004);
Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Jin-pyo (since 28 January 2005), LEE
Hun-jai (since 10 February 2004), and OH Myung (since 18 October
2004)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year
term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in
December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent
of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
on prime minister's recommendation
election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH
Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP)
48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
Kuwait
chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since
31 December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim Al Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah
(since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime
Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad
Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch
Kyrgyzstan
chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October
1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May
2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May
2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in
March of 2002; First Deputy Prime Minister Kubanychbek JUMALIYEV
(since 19 March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be 30 October 2005);
prime minister appointed by the president; note - President AKAYEV
has publicly stated that he will not seek reelection when his
current term expires in 2005
election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote
- Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%;
note - election marred by serious irregularities
Laos
chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26
February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason
(since 27 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27
March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since
3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since
May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March
2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26
February 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held
in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the
approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term
election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA%
Latvia
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July
1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Lebanon
chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November
1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Omar KARAMI (since 21 October
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president and members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next election date NA);
note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to
extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime
minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in
consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president
is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and
the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim
election results: For 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected
president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,
10 abstentions
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