Kazakhstan
chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV
(chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected
president 1 December 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 10 January
2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak SHUKEYEV (since 3 March
2009) and Deputy Prime Ministers Yerbol ORYNBAYEV (since 29 October
2007) and Serik AKHMETOV (since 3 March 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime
minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president,
with Mazhilis approval; note - constitutional amendments of May 2007
shortened the presidential term from seven years to five years and
established a two-consecutive-term limit; changes will take effect
after NAZARBAYEV's term ends; he, and only he, is allowed to run for
president indefinitely
election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A.
TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%
Kenya
chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December
2002); Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January
2008);
head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);
Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008);
note - the roles of the president and prime minister are not well
defined at this juncture; constitutionally, the president remains
chief of state and head of government, but the prime minister is
charged with coordinating government business
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and headed by the prime
minister, who is the leader of the largest party in parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largest
number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must
also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven
provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 27
December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); vice president
appointed by the president
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote -
Mwai KIBAKI 46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%
Kiribati
chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003);
Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
President Teima ONORIO
cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the
members of the House of Parliament
elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete
in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a
four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 17
October 2007 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by
the president
election results: Anote TONG 63.7%, Nabuti MWEMWENIKARAWA 32.9%
Korea, North
chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note -
on 9 April 2009, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
reelected KIM Yong Nam in 2003 president of its Presidium also with
responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
credentials
head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice
Premier KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), Vice Premier O Su Yong
(since 13 April 2009), Vice Premier PAK Su Gil (since 18 September
2009), Vice Premier PAK Myong Su (since 4 September 2009), Vice
Premier RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's
Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
elections: last held in September 2003; date of next election NA
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
for positions and ran unopposed
Korea, South
chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25
February 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister CHUNG Un-chan (since 30 September
2009)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in
December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent
of National Assembly
election results: LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December
2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young
(UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1%
Kosovo
chief of state: President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February
2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January
2008)
cabinet: ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly
elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the
Kosovo Assembly; election last held 9 January 2008 (next to be held
by in 2013); the prime minister is elected by the Kosovo Assembly
election results: Fatmir SEJDIU reelected president after three
rounds; Hashim THACI elected prime minister by the Assembly
Kuwait
chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since
29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister NASIR AL-MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad
al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR
AL-MUBAREK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD AL-SABAH al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the amir
elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime
minister and deputy prime ministers
Kyrgyzstan
chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIEV (since 14
August 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 21 October
2009); First Deputy Prime Minister Akylbek JAPAROV (since 22 October
2009)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
appointed by the president; ministers in charge of defense and
security, appointed solely by the president
elections: Kurmanbek BAKIEV reelected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 23 July 2009 (next scheduled for
2014); prime minister nominated by the parliamentary party holding
more than 50% of the seats; if no such party exists, the president
selects the party that will nominate a prime minister
election results: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected president; percent of
vote - Kurmanbek BAKIEV 76.1%, Almaz ATAMBAYEV 8.4%, Temir SARIYEV
6.7%, other candidates 8.8%
Laos
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8
June 2006); 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 Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 12
March 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next
to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president,
confirmed by Parliament
election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary
vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39