Kyrgyzstan
chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14
August 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Azim ISABEKOV (since 29 January
2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister; note - the new constitution of
November 2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime
minister and members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010
elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005
(next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president
for approval by Parliament; note - the new constitution of November
2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime minister and
members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010
election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of
vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other
candidates 7.5%; Azim ISABEKOV approved as prime minister 57-4
Laos
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%
Latvia
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July
1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term
(no term limits); election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held
by July 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Lebanon
chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November
1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June
2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president and members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15
October 1998 (next to be held in 2007 based on three-year
extension); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted
96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the
president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni
Muslim, and the speaker of the National Assembly is a Shi'a Muslim
election results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected
president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,
10 abstentions
Lesotho
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996);
note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November
1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the
majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession,
or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not
of mature age
Liberia
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16
January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16
January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005
(next to be held in 2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent
of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (UP) 59.6%, George
WEAH (CDC) 40.4%
Libya
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held NA)
election results: NA
Liechtenstein
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November
1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August
2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
head of government: Head of Government Ottmar HASLER (since 5 April
2001) and Deputy Head of Government Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21
April 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is
usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the
leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually
appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a
coalition government
Lithuania
chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Gediminas KIRKILAS (since 4 July
2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004
(next to be held June 2009); prime minister appointed by the
president on the approval of the Parliament
election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote
- Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Gediminas
KIRKILAS approved by Parliament 85-13, with 5 abstentions
Luxembourg
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);
Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP