Armenia
chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March
1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (since 12 May
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February and 5
March 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister appointed by
the president and confirmed with the majority support of the
National Assembly; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must
resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program
election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of
vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%
Aruba
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30
April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since
11 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30
October 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for
a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime
minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last
held 2005 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
of legislative vote - NA
Australia
chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.)
Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005)
cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament,
candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to
serve as government ministers
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
prime minister by the governor general
note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party
Austria
chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
head of government: Chancellor Alfred GUSENBAUER (SPOe) (since 11
January 2007); Vice Chancellor Wilhelm MOLTERE (OeVP) (since 11
January 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held
25 April 2004 (next to be held April 2010); chancellor formally
chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties
forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the
president on the advice of the chancellor
election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -
Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%
note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP
Azerbaijan
chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October
2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
confirmed by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 October 2003
(next to be held October 2008); prime minister and first deputy
prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the
National Assembly
election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%
Bahamas, The
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1
February 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Bahrain
chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March
1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the
monarch, born 21 October 1969)
head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa
(since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman
al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch
Bangladesh
chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6
September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally
ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution
("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes
significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker
government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise
the elections
head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16
September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only
presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next
election to be held by 2007); following legislative elections, the
leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed
prime minister by the president
election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission
elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote
- NA
Barbados
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
(since 1 June 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7
September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May
2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Belarus
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20
July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKIY (since 19
December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a
November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001;
an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and
allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on
19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed
by the president
election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%,
Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud