Administrative divisions:
17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba,
Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi
Independence:
1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:
28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum
Legal system:
based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005);
First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29 August
2005); Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8
September 2006)
head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August
2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29
August 2005); Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8
September 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted
in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected
by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; vice presidents
nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament
election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the
parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in
February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by
a two-thirds majority of the legislature
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a National Assembly
or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats - 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi
with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a
National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic
representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 by indirect vote to
serve five year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic
groups and former chiefs of state)
elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be
held in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in
2010)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%,
MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59,
FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2; Senate -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30,
FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of
Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First
Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)
Political parties and leaders:
the three national, mainstream, governing parties are: Burundi
Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA, president];
National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for the Defense
of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Hussein RADJABU, president]; Unity for
National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA, president]
note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD; National
Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or
MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National
Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]