Constitution:
promulgated 14 August 1991
Legal system:
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures,
and socialist practice
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8
June 2006) and Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June
2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May
2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT
Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27
March 2001)
cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National
Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly
for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held
in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by
National Assembly for five-year term
election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG
Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote -
100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of
National Assembly vote - 97%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
LPRP 113, independents 2
Judicial branch:
People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court
is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
Assembly Standing Committee)
Political parties and leaders:
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason];
other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders
fled the country in 1975
International organization participation:
ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923