Belgium
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir
Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament
note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit
Belize
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28
August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
1998)
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; prime
minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Benin
chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April
2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006
(next to be held March 2011)
election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of
vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%
Bermuda
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)
head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006);
Deputy Premier Paula COX
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed premier by the governor
Bhutan
chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14
December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the
throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him
head of government: Prime Minister Khandu WANGCHUK (since 7
September 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
(Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms
in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the
monarch with two-thirds vote
Bolivia
chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22
January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January
2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22
January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January
2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18
December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent
of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA
Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI
Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%
Bosnia and Herzegovina
chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency
Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (chairman since 6 November 2006; presidency
member since 1 October 2006 - Serb); other members of the
three-member presidency rotating (every eight months): Zeljko KOMSIC
(since 1 October 2006 - Croat) and Haris SILAJDZIC (since 1 October
2006 - Bosniak)
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola
SPIRIC (since 4 January 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
approved by the National House of Representatives
elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term
(eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years);
the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she
was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the
chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 1
October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council
of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
National House of Representatives
election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of
the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC received 39.6% of the
votes for the Croat seat; Haris SILAJDZIC received 62.8% of the
votes for the Bosniak seat
note: current government is caretaker in the Federation of Bosnia
and Herzegovina; President of the Federation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina: Niko LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents
Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC (since in 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since in
2003); new government will be appointed in coming months; President
of the Republika Srpska: Milan JELIC (since 9 November 2006)
Botswana
chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April
1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)
and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004
(next to be held in 2009); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - 52%
Brazil
chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1
October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October
2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)
election results: Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) reelected president
- 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%
British Indian Ocean Territory
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
(since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);
Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both
reside in the UK
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
administrator appointed by the monarch