cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats; 9 members popularly elected to serve five-year terms; the attorney general and financial secretary sit as ex-officio members)

elections: last held on 8 September 2009 (next to be held by 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCAP 6, independents 3

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for
Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's
Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: