Politics of Guinea-Bissau

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Guinea-Bissau

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Guinea-Bissau

President João Bernardo Vieira Prime Minister vacant National People's Assembly Elections Parl. 2004 Pres. 2005 Political Parties Regions Sectors Foreign relations

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Politics of Guinea-Bissau takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic in transition, whereby the President is head of state and the Prime Minister is head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National People's Assembly. Since 1994 the party system is dominated by the socialist African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde and the Party for Social Renewal. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Contents 1 Recent political developments 2 Executive branch 3 Legislative branch 4 Political parties and elections 5 Judicial branch 6 Administrative divisions 7 International organization participation

[edit] Recent political developments

In Guinea-Bissau in 1989, the ruling African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde under the direction of President João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira began to outline a political liberalization program which the People's National Assembly approved in 1991. Reforms that paved the way for multi-party democracy included the repeal of articles of the constitution, which had enshrined the leading role of the PAIGC. Laws were ratified to allow the formation of other political parties, a free press, and independent trade unions with the right to strike.

Guinea-Bissau's first multi-party elections for president and parliament were held in 1994. Following the 1998-99 civil war, presidential and legislative elections were again held, bringing opposition leader Kumba Ialá and his Party for Social Renewal to power. The PRS currently holds 38 of 102 National Assembly seats and 18 of 25 Cabinet seats. Ialá was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and Henrique Rosa was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy is complicated by its crippled economy, devastated in the civil war.

[edit] Executive branch

Main office holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
President	João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira	Independent	1 October 2005
Prime Minister	Aristides Gomes	Independent	2 November 2005

The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The prime minister is appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature.

[edit] Legislative branch

The National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular) has 102 members, elected for a four year term in multi-member constituencies.

[edit] Political parties and elections

For other political parties see List of political parties in Guinea-Bissau. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Guinea-Bissau.

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 19 June and 24 July 2005 Guinea-Bissau presidential election results

Candidates - Nominating parties	Votes 1st round	% 1st round	Votes 2nd round	% 2nd round
Malam Bacai Sanhá - African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde	158,276	35.45%	196,759	47.65%
João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira - Independent	128,918	28.87%	216,167	52.35%
Kumba Ialá - Party for Social Renewal	111,606	25.00%	-	-
Francisco Fadul - United Social Democratic Party	12,733	2.85%	-	-
Aregado Mantenque Té - Workers' Party	9,000	2.02%	-	-
Mamadú Iaia Djaló - Independent	7,112	1.59%	-	-
Mário Lopes da Rosa - Independent	4,863	1.09%	-	-
Idrissa Djaló - National Unity Party	3,604	0.81%	-	-
Adelino Mano Queta - Independent	2,816	0.63%	-	-
Faustino Fadut Imbali - Manifest Party of the People	2,330	0.52%	-	-
Paulino Empossa Ié - Independent	2,215	0.50%	-	-
Antonieta Rosa Gomes - Guinean Civic Forum-Social Democracy	1,642	0.37%	-	-
João Tátis Sá - Guinean People's Party	1,378	0.31%	-	-
Total (turnout 87.6% / 78.6%)	446,493		412,926

Main article: Guinea-Bissau presidential election, 2005

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 28 March 2004 National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau election results

Parties	Votes	%	Seats
African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde (Partido Africano da Independência de Guiné e Cabo Verde)	145,316	33.88	45
Party for Social Renewal (Partido para a Renovaçao Social)	113,656	26.50	35
United Social Democratic Party (Partido Unido Social Democrático)	75,485	17.60	17
United Platform (Plataforma Unida)	20,700	4.83	-
Electoral Union (União Eleitoral)	18,354	4.28	2
Democratic Socialist Party (Partido Democrático Socialista)	8,789	2.05	-
Union for Change (União para a Mudança)	8,621	2.01	-
Resistance of Guinea-Bissau-Bafatá Movement (Resistência da Guiné-Bissau-Movimento Bafatá)	7,918	1.85	-
National Unity Party (Partido da Unidade Nacional)	6,260	1.46	-
United People's Alliance (Aliança Popular Unida)	5,817	1.36	1
National Union for Democracy and Progress (União Nacional para a Democracia e o Progresso)	5,042	1.18	-
Guinean Civic Forum-Social Democracy (Fórum Cívico Guineense-Social Democracia)	4,209	0.98	-
Guinean Democratic Movement (Movimento Democrático Guineense)	4,202	0.98	-
Manifest Party of the People (Partido do Manifesto do Povo)	3,402	0.79	-
Socialist Party of Guinea-Bissau (Partido Socialista da Guiné-Bissau)	1,167	0.27	-
Total (turnout 76.2%)	428,937	100.00	100
Registered voters	603,639
Total votes cast	460,254
Invalid votes	31,317
Source: African Elections Database

Main article: Guinea-Bissau legislative election, 2004

[edit] Judicial branch

The Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica, consists of nine justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure, final court of appeals in criminal and civil case. There are Regional Courts, one in each of nine regions, first court of appeals for sectoral court decisions, hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000 and 24 Sectoral Courts, judges are not necessarily trained lawyers, hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases.

Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Francisco Jose FADUL]

[edit] Administrative divisions

Guinea-Bissau is divided in 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali.
note: Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

[edit] International organization participation

ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

See also : Guinea-Bissau