Taiwan
chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008);
Vice President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIO
Chao-shiuan (since 20 May 2008); Vice Premier (Vice President of
Executive Yuan) Paul CHIU (CHANG-hsiung) (since 20 May 2008)
cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on
recommendation of premier)
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012);
premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the
president on the recommendation of the premier
election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president on 22 March 2008;
percent of vote - MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%; MA
Ying-jeou takes office on 20 May 2008
Tajikistan
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6
November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19
November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006
(next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of
vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%, other 14.5%
Tanzania
chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December
2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December
2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001)
note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to
that office on 30 October 2005
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December
2010); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote
- Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%
Thailand
chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet or (BHUMIBOL
Adulyadej) (since 9 June 1946)
head of government: Prime Minister ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled
ABHISIT Vejjajiva (since 17 December 2008); Deputy Prime Minister
OLARN Cahipravat (since 24 September 2008); Deputy Prime Minister
SANAN Kachornprasat, also spelled SANAN Kachornparsart (since 7
February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SOMPONG Amornwiwat (since 24
September 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Privy Council
elections: monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution,
prime minister is designated from among members of House of
Representatives; following national elections for House of
Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority
coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king; prime
minister is limited to two 4-year terms
Timor-Leste
chief of state: President Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May
2007); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is
able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national
elections
head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8
August 2007), note - he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre
GUSMAO; Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis GUTERRES (since 8 August
2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 April 2007
with run-off on 8 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012); following
elections, president appoints leader of majority party or majority
coalition as prime minister
election results: Jose RAMOS-HORTA elected president; percent of
vote - Jose RAMOS-HORTA 69.2%, Francisco GUTTERES 30.8%
Togo
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005);
note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded
by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, with the support of the military
following international condemnation for the unconstitutional move
he then stepped aside pending elections, and Abass BONFOH served as
interim president; Faure GNASSINGBE later won popular elections in
April 2005
head of government: Prime Minister Gilbert HOUNGBO (since 7
September 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held
by 2010); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of
vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas
LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%
Tokelau
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND
(since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator
David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
head of government: Pio TUIA (since 23 February 2008); note -
position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders)
cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,
consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku
(village mayors), functions as a cabinet
elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of
government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a
one-year term
Tonga
chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11
February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16
May 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch
for life; four appointed from among the elected members of the
Legislative Assembly, including two each from the nobles' and
peoples' representatives serving three-year terms
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
the cabinet, and two governors
elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy
prime minister appointed by the monarch
Trinidad and Tobago
chief of state: President George Maxwell
RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
December 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on
11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president
usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party
in the House of Representatives
election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president;
percent of electoral college vote - NA
Tunisia
chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7
November 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
November 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(no term limits); election last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be
held in October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,
Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%