Short facts about the government of French Guiana

Country name:

conventional long form:  Department of Guiana conventional short form:  French Guiana local long form:  none local short form:  Guyane

Dependency status:

overseas department of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

Cayenne

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas department of France)

Independence:

none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

French legal system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state:  President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since NA January 1997) head of government:  President of the General Council Andre LECANTE (since NA March 1998); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet:  NA elections:  French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections:  General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results:  General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2 note:  one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, PSG 1

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)

Political parties and leaders:

Guianese Socialist Party or PSG [Antoine KARAM]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE] (may be a subset of PSG); Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Source: World Factbook