Southeast Asia: Laos: Government

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Administrative divisions:
provinces
municipality*

(kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone** (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Capital city:

Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991 Executive branch (cabinet): Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly Executive branch (chief of state): President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001) Executive branch (election results): KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% Executive branch (elections): president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term Executive branch (head of government): Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since NA May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998) Executive summary:
President: Khamtai Siphandon (1998) PPPL
Prime minister: Boungnang Vorachith (2001) PPPL
The president is elected for a five year term by parliament. The government is formed by the PPPL. Female candidacy: 1958 [47th of 166] Female ministers: 4.9% [108th of 132] Female parliamentarians: 21.2% [28th of 161] Female suffrage: 1958 [44th of 166] First female parliamentarian: 1958 (elected) [96th of 159] Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band Government type: Communist state Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France) [0th of 231] International organization participation: ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee) Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election) Legislative branch (election results): percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109 Legislative branch (elections): last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) National holiday: Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Parliamentary seats {female}: 21% [21st of 143] Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 Status: dictatorship Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal [165th of 225] UN membership date: 14 Dec. 1955 [0th of 175Sources: CIA World Factbook, December 2003; electionworld.org; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on women in government at the ministerial level. March. Geneva.; calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002.; United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook.