National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution:
ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system:
based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August
2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National
Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger
People's United Assembly (869 representatives from the national,
local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last
held 25 May 2005 (next to be held 25 May 2010)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held May 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NF 41.2%, NDP 23.1%,
VVV 14.5%, A-Com 7.3%, A1 6.2%, other 5.9%; seats by party - NF 23,
NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A1 3
Judicial branch:
Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court
(justices are nominated for life)
Political parties and leaders:
A-Combinatie (coalition of Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP
[Caprino ALENDY], General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie
BRUNSWIJK], Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim
HOK], Seeka [Paul ABENA]); Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of
Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 [Winston JESSURUN], Democrats
of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or
NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan
SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); National
Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy
and Development or NF (a coalition includes National Party Suriname
or NPS (Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE],
Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party
or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in
Unity or DOE [Marten Schalkwijk]; People's Alliance for Progress or
VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000
[Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or
BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the
Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,
Justice, and Perserverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL
[Raymond SAPOEN]); Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj
PANDAY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE];
Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE];
Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]
International organization participation:
ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB,
IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA,
NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO