Eritrea
chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June
1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
members appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National
Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as
anticipated)
election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%
Estonia
chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
approved by Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if
a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three
rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly
(made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the
president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest
percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to
be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the
president and approved by Parliament
election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September
2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following
Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's
successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votes
to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots
were either left blank or invalid
Ethiopia
chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8
October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
approved by the House of People's Representatives
elections: president elected by the House of People's
Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October
2001 (next to be held October 2007); prime minister designated by
the party in power following legislative elections
election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%
European Union
chief of union: President of the European Commission
Jose DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)
cabinet: European Commission (composed of 25 members, one from each
member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy
areas)
elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by
member governments; the president-designate then chooses the other
Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire
Commission for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 2004
(next to be held 2009)
election results: European Parliament approved the European
Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions
note: the European Council brings together heads of state and
government and the president of the European Commission and meets at
least twice a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major
political issues relating to European integration and to issue
general policy guidelines
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
(since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
secretary), and the governor
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch
Faroe Islands
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since
14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS,
chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3
February 2004)
cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)
election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent
of parliamentary vote - NA%
note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party
Fiji
chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda
(since 18 July 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
September 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there
is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists
of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%
Finland
chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September
2005)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be
held February 2006); the president appoints the prime minister and
deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority
coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must
approve the appointment
election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote -
Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP
France
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31
May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007,
second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
(FN) 18.04%
French Guiana
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31
July 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
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 Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are appointed by the members of those councils