Surinamebased on Dutch legal system incorporating French penaltheory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Svalbardthe laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Swazilandbased on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courtsand Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Swedencivil law system influenced by customary law; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Switzerlandcivil law system influenced by customary law; judicialreview of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decreesof general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdictionwith reservations
Syriabased on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law;Islamic law is used in the family court system; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Taiwanbased on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Tajikistanbased on civil law system; no judicial review oflegislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Tanzaniabased on English common law; judicial review of legislativeacts limited to matters of interpretation; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Thailandbased on civil law system, with influences of common law;has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Timor-LesteUN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remainsin place but is to be replaced by civil and penal codes based onPortuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated; hasnot accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
TogoFrench-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,with reservations
TokelauNew Zealand and local statutes
Tongabased on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Trinidad and Tobagobased on English common law; judicial review oflegislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Tunisiabased on French civil law system and Islamic law; somejudicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in jointsession; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Turkeycivil law system derived from various European continentallegal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights(ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratifiedEuropean Convention on Human Rights; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Turkmenistanbased on civil law system and Islamic law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Turks and Caicos Islandsbased on laws of England and Wales, with afew adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
TuvaluNA
Ugandain 1995, the government restored the legal system to onebased on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsoryICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Ukrainebased on civil law system; judicial review of legislativeacts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
United Arab Emiratesbased on a dual system of Sharia and civilcourts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
United Kingdombased on common law tradition with early Roman andmodern continental influences; has nonbinding judicial review ofActs of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
United Statesfederal court system based on English common law; eachstate has its own unique legal system, of which all but one(Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) isbased on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refugesthe laws of the US,where applicable, apply
Uruguaybased on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Uzbekistanbased on civil law system; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Vanuatuunified system being created from former dual French andBritish systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Venezuelaopen, adversarial court system; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Vietnambased on communist legal theory and French civil law system;has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Virgin Islandsbased on US laws
Wake Islandthe laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Wallis and Futunathe laws of France, where applicable, apply
Worldall members of the UN are parties to the statute thatestablished the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court
Yemenbased on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, andlocal tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Zambiabased on English common law and customary law; judicialreview of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; hasnot accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Zimbabwemixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
This page was last updated on 18 December 2008
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@2101 Legislative branch
Afghanistanthe bicameral National Assembly consists of the WolesiJirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly electedfor five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-yearterms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-yearterms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms)note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga(Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, andterritorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of theconstitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of membersof the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial anddistrict councilselections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held for theWolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincialcouncils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008)election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) systemused in the election did not make use of political party slates;most candidates ran as independents
Albaniaunicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members areelected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to servefour-year terms)elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19
Algeriabicameral Parliament consists of the National People'sAssembly or Al-Majlis Al-Shabi Al-Watani (389 seats; members electedby popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations(Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by thepresident, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; to serve six-yearterms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewedevery three years)elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (nextto be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28December 2006 (next to be held in 2009)election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19,FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent ofvote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1,independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24;note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced councilmembers rather than the whole Council
American Samoabicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists ofthe House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected bypopular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from SwainsIsland; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008(next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held 4 November2008 (next to be held in November 2012)election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -NA; seats by party - independents 18note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the USHouse of Representatives; election last held on 4 November 2008(next to be held in November 2010); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGAreelected as delegate
Andorraunicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell Generalde las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote,14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each ofthe seven parishes; to serve four-year terms)elections: last held on 24 April 2005 (next to be held inMarch-April 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%,CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2
Angolaunicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 5-6 September 2008 (next to be held inSeptember 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 81.6%, UNITA10.4%, PRS 3.2%, ND 1.2%, FNLA 1.1%, other 2.5%; seats by party -MPLA 191, UNITA 16, PRS 8, ND 2, FNLA 3
Anguillaunicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members electedby direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed;members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010)election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%,ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA2, AUM 1
Antigua and Barbudabicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House ofRepresentatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportionalrepresentation to serve five-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (nextto be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -ALP 4, UPP 13
Argentinabicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consistsof the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote;presently one-third of the members elected every two years to servesix-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members areelected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every twoyears to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 28 October 2007 (next to be held in2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 28 October 2007(next to be held in 2009)election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA;seats by bloc or party - FV 12, UCR 4, CC 4, other 4; Chamber ofDeputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc orparty - FV 5, UCR 10, PJ 10, PRO 6, CC 16, FJ 2, other 31; note -Senate and Chamber of Deputies seating reflect the number ofreplaced senators and deputies, rather than the whole Senate andChamber of Deputies
Armeniaunicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov(131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected byparty list and 41 by direct vote; to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of2012)election results: percent of vote by party - HHK 33.9%, ProsperousArmenia 15.1%, ARF (Dashnak) 13.2%, Rule of Law 7.1%, Heritage Party6%, other 24.7%; seats by party - HHK 64, Prosperous Armenia 18, ARF(Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, independent 17
Arubaunicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected bydirect popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8,MPA 1, RED 1
Australiabicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of thetwo mainland territories; one-half of state members are electedevery three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while allterritory members are elected every three years) and the House ofRepresentatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferentialvote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewerthan 5 representatives)elections: Senate - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be held nolater than 2010); House of Representatives - last held 24 November2007 (next to be called no later than 2010)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 37, Australian LaborParty 32, Australian Greens 5, Family First Party 1, other 1; Houseof Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -Australian Labor Party 83, Liberal Party 55, National Party 10,independents 2
Austriabicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists ofFederal Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; members chosen by stateparliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according toits population; members serve a five- or six-year term) and theNational Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected bydirect popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: National Council - last held 28 September 2008 (next tobe held by September 2013)election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe29.3%, OeVP 26%, FPOe 17.5%, BZOe 10.7%, Greens 10.4%, other 6.1%;seats by party - SPOe 57, OeVP 51, FPOe 34, BZOe 21, Greens 20
Azerbaijanunicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November2010)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, Motherland 2, other partieswith single seats 9, independents 42, undetermined 4
Bahamas, Thebicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats;members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of theprime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms)and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by directpopular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolvethe Parliament and call elections at any timeelections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%;seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18
Bahrainbicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council(40 members appointed by the King) and the Council ofRepresentatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directlyelected to serve four-year terms)elections: Council of Representatives - last held November-December2006 (next election to be held in 2010)election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (SunniSalafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11;note - seats by party as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8,al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4,unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated withal Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1
Bangladeshunicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300seats elected by popular vote from single territorialconstituencies; members serve five-year terms; note - parliament notin session during the extended caretaker regimeelections: last held 1 October 2001 (the scheduled January 2007election has been postponed until 29 December 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliancepartners 41%, AL 40%, other 19%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note -the election of October 2001 brought to power a majority BNPgovernment aligned with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, andJatiya Party (Manzur)
Barbadosbicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21 seats;members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of thePrime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 athis discretion) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members areelected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: House of Assembly - last held 15 January 2008 (next to becalled in 2013)election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by party - DLP 20, BLP 10
Belarusbicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranieconsists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and eight membersappointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and theChamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held 28 September 2008 (nextto be held fall of 2012); international observers widely denouncedthe elections as flawed and undemocratic based on massive governmentfalsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won all 110 seatselection results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NA
Belgiumbicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat inDutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected bypopular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-yearterms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer vanVolksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants inFrench (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote onthe basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 June 2007(next to be held no later than June 2011)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA19.4%, Open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS 10.2%, SP.A-Spirit10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, Groen! 3.6%, Dedecker List 3.4%, FN 2.3%,other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV/N-VA 9, Open VLD 5, MR 6, VB 5, PS4, SP.A-Spririt 4, CDH 2, Ecolo 2, Groen! 1, Dedecker List 1, FN 1(note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber ofDeputies - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 18.5%, MR 12.5%, VB12%, Open VLD 11.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A-Spirit 10.3%, CDH 6.1%, Ecolo5.1%, Dedecker List 4%, Groen! 4%, FN 2%, other 2.8%; seats by party- CDV/N-VA 30, MR 23, VB 17, Open VLD 18, PS 20, SP.A-Spirit 14, CDH10, Ecolo 8, Dedecker List 5, Groen! 4, FN 1note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthereddevolution into a federal state, there are now three levels ofgovernment (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with acomplex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves sixgovernments each with its own legislative assembly
Belizebicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats;members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of theprime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches andEvangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerceand Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the NationalTrade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; toserve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats;members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2008(next to be held in 2013)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -UDP 25, PUP 6
Beninunicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18
Bermudabicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats;members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition)and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popularvote to serve up to five-year terms)elections: last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to beheld not later than 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%;seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14
Bhutannew bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisanNational Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 membersnominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; memberselected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms)elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); NationalAssembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held byMarch 2013)election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percentof vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2
Boliviabicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists ofChamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members areelected by proportional representation from party lists to servefive-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60are elected by proportional representation from party lists to servefive-year terms)elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber ofDeputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73,PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6
Bosnia and Herzegovinabicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstinaconsists of the national House of Representatives or PredstavnickiDom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated for the Federation of Bosnia andHerzegovina and 14 seats for the Republika Srpska; members electedby popular vote on the basis of proportional representation, toserve four-year terms); and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15seats, 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by theBosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives and theRepublika Srpska's National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note- Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state andfirst-order administrative division entity legislatureselections: national House of Representatives - elections last held 1October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); House of Peoples - lastconstituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)election results: national House of Representatives - percent ofvote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 9, SBH8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, HDZ1990 2, other 5; House ofPeoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats byparty/coalition - NAnote: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature thatconsists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 28, SBH 24, SDP 17,HDZ-BH 8, HDZ100 7, other 14; and a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other); last constituted December2002; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); electionslast held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010);percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41,SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result ofthe 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika SrpskaCouncil of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika SrpskaNational Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eightSerbs, and four members of the smaller communities
Botswanabicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (alargely advisory 15-member body with 8 permanent members consistingof the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent membersserving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly(63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 areappointed by the majority party, and 2, the President andAttorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members servefive-year terms)elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004(next to be held in October 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%,BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1
Brazilbicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists ofthe Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from eachstate and federal district elected according to the principle ofmajority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds electedevery four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camarados Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportionalrepresentation to serve four-year terms)elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-thirdof the Senate (next to be held in October 2010 for two-thirds of theSenate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to beheld in October 2010)election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1,PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent ofvote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13,PSC 9, other 17; note - as of 1 January 2008: Federal Senate - seatsby party - PMDB 20, DEM (formerly PFL) 14, PSDB 13, PT 12, PTB 6,PDT 5, PR 4, PRB 2, PSB 2, PCdoB 1, PP 1, PSOL 1; Chamber ofDeputies - seats by party - PMDB 90, PT 83, PSDB 64, DEM (formerlyPFL) 62, PP 41, PR 34, PSB 28, PDT 23, PTB 21, PPS 17, PV 13, PCdoB13, PSC 7, PAN 4, PSOL 3, PMN 3, PTC 3, PHS 2, PTdoB 1, PRB 1
British Virgin Islandsunicameral House of Assembly (13 electedseats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general;members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each ofnine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; members servefour-year terms)elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%,independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1
BruneiLegislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first timein 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passedconstitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 andappointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005;council met in March 2006 and in March 2007elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)
Bulgariaunicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held in June 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%,MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%, other 8.7%;seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17,BPU 13, independents 4; note - seats by party as of January 2008 -CfB 82, NMS2 36, MRF 34, Bulgarian New Democracy 16, DSB 16, UDF 16,BPU 13, ATAKA 11, independents 16
Burkina Fasounicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale(111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-yearterms)elections: National Assembly election last held 6 May 2007 (next tobe held in May 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -CDP 73, ADF-RDA 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1
Burmaunicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed byjunta to convene (junta has announced plans to hold elections in2010)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),other 60
Burundibicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a NationalAssembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40%Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by aNational Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnicrepresentation; members are elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected byindirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seatsassigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state)elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to beheld in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in2010)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%,MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59,FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2; Senate -percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30,FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1
Cambodiabicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and theSenate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected bythe National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians andcommune councils; members serve five-year terms)elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2008 (next to beheld in July 2013); Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to beheld in January 2011)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP58%, SRP 22%, others 20%; seats by party - CPP 90, SRP 26, others 7;Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%, FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%;seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 2
Cameroonunicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-yearterms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the termof the legislatureelections: last held 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -RDCP 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17; note - vacantseats will be determined in a yet to be scheduled by-election afterthe Supreme Court nullified results in five districtsnote: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for thelegislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
Canadabicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate orSenat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general with theadvice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years ofage) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats;members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum offive-year terms starting in 2009 elections)elections: House of Commons - last held 14 October 2008 (next to beheld 19 October 2009)election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -Conservative Party 37.6%, Liberal Party 26.2%, New Democratic Party18.2%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, Greens 6.8%, other 1%; seats by party -Conservative Party 143, Liberal Party 76, New Democratic Party 37,Bloc Quebecois 50, other 1
Cape Verdeunicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January2011)election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%,UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2
Cayman Islandsunicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats; 3appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected bypopular vote; to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1
Central African Republicunicameral National Assembly or AssembleeNationale (105 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms)elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be heldin 2010)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -KNK 42, MLPC 11, RDC 8, PSD 4, FPP 2, ADP 2, LONDO 1, independents34, other 1
Chadunicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitutioncalled for a Senate that has never been formedelections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to beheld by 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduledfor 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action andsubsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between governmentand opposition partieselection results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 3, other 11
Chilebicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists ofthe Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve eight-year terms; one-half elected every four years) and theChamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members areelected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held inDecember 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005(next to be held in December 2009)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8),independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI34, RN 20), independent 1; note - as of 8 January 2008: Senate -seats by party - CPD 18, (PDC 5, PS 8, PPD 2, PRSD 3), APC 16 (UDI9, RN 7), independent 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - CPD57 (PDC 16, PPD 19, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 53 (UDI 33, RN 20),independent 10.
Chinaunicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo RenminDaibiao Dahui (2,987 seats; members elected by municipal, regional,and provincial people's congresses, and People's Liberation Army toserve five-year terms)elections: last held December 2007-February 2008; date of nextelection - NAelection results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987
Christmas Islandunicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: held every two years with half the members standing forelection; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
Cocos (Keeling) Islandsunicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands ShireCouncil (7 seats)elections: held every two years with half the members standing forelection; last held in May 2007 (next to be held in May 2009)
Colombiabicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate orSenado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara deRepresentantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held inMarch 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006(next to be held in March 2010)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21;House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41
Comorosunicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies areselected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 byuniversal suffrage; to serve for five years);elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputiesfrom local island assemblies
Congo, Democratic Republic of thebicameral legislature consists ofa National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority votein single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open listproportional-representation in multi-member constituencies; to servefive-year terms) and a Senate (108 seats; members elected byprovincial assemblies to serve five-year terms)elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to beheld in 2011); Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be heldby 2012)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15,independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won10 or fewer seats); Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2,independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat)
Congo, Republic of thebicameral Parliament consists of the Senate(66 seats; members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-yearterms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held in July2008); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (nextto be held in 2012)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - FDU 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD5, independents 37, other 22
Cook Islandsbicameral Parliament consisting of a LegislativeAssembly (or lower house) (24 seats; members elected by popular voteto serve four-year terms) and a House of Ariki (or upper house) madeup of traditional leadersnote: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters andmaintains considerable influence but has no legislative powerselections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%,independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1
Costa Ricaunicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa(57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February2010)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, PASE 1, PFA 1, PRN 1, PUN 1
Cote d'Ivoireunicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale(225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-districtelections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on14 January 2001 (next to be held in November 2008 after thegovernment postponed the elections in 2005 and 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2note: a Senate that was scheduled to be created in the October 2006elections never took place
Croatiaunicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members electedfrom party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 25 November 2007 (next to be held in November2011)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats byparty - HDZ 66, SDP 56, HNS 7, HSS 6, HDSSB 3, IDS 3, SDSS 3, other 9
Cubaunicameral National Assembly of People's Power or AsembleaNacional del Poder Popular (number of seats in the National Assemblyis based on population; 614 seats; members elected directly fromslates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-yearterms)elections: last held 20 January 2008 (next to be held in January2013)election results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party,and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed
Cyprusunicameral - area under government control: House ofRepresentatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats, 56 assigned to theGreek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assignedto Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots:Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; membersare elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006(next to be held 2011); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: lastheld 14 December 2003 (next to be held in 2008)election results: area under government control: House ofRepresentatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.1%, DISY 30.3%,DIKO 17.9%, EDEK 8.9%, EURO.KO 5.8%, Greens 2.0%; seats by party -AKEL (Communist) 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 5, EURO.KO 3, Greens 1;area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic -percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace andDemocratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7; note - "TRNC" seats byparty as of September 2006 - CTP 25, OP 3, UBP 13, DP 6, BDH 1,independents 2
Czech Republicbicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of theSenate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and theChamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members areelected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 17-18 and 24-25 October2008 (next to be held in October 2010); Chamber of Deputies - lastheld 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - ODS 35, CSSD 29, KDU-CSL 7, others 8, independents 2;Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats byparty - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seatsby party as of December 2007 - ODS 81, CSSD 72, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13,Greens 6, unaffiliated 2 (former CSSD members)
Denmarkunicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats,including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members areelected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representationto serve four-year terms unless the Folketinget is dissolved earlier)elections: last held 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%,Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, SocialistPeople's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, SocialLiberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Alliance 2.2%,other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45,Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, ConservativePeople's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-GreenAlliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland andthe two seats from the Faroe Islands
Djiboutiunicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)elections: last held 8 February 2008 (next to be held 2013)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP(coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH)65
Dominicaunicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 membersappointed, 21 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within fiveyears of the last election, but technically it is five years fromthe first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day graceperiodelection results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.1%, UWP 43.6%,DFP 3.2%, other 1.1%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1
Dominican Republicbicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacionalconsists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House ofRepresentatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members areelected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May2010); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to beheld in May 2010)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent ofvote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22
Ecuadorunicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100seats; members are elected through a party-list proportionalrepresentation system to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held in October2010)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5;other 6; note - defections by members of National Congress arecommonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seatsheld by the various parties; as of 29 November 2007, Congress is onindefinite recess while a Constituent Assembly is convened
Egyptbicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlisal-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed bythe president; members serve five-year terms) and the AdvisoryCouncil or Majlis al-Shura that traditionally functions only in aconsultative role but 2007 constitutional amendments could grant theCouncil new powers (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-termelections for half of the elected members)elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December2010); Advisory Council - last held June 2007 (next to be heldMay-June 2010)election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1,independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 10seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NDP 84, Tagammu 1, independents 3
El Salvadorunicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa(84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to servethree-year terms)elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2
Equatorial Guineaunicameral House of People's Representatives orCamara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directlyelected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held 4 May 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PDGE 98, CPDS 2note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests allexecutive authority in the president
Eritreaunicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members elected bydirect popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the newconstitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the oldCentral Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-memberConstituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discussand ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreansliving abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly toserve as the country's legislative body until countrywide electionsto a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members ofthe Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitutionstipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of theNational Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligiblevoters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 werepostponed indefinitely
Estoniaunicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members areelected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and ResPublica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%,Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - EstonianReform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and ResPublica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, EstonianPeople's Union 6
Ethiopiabicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation(or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution andfederal-regional issues) (108 seats; members are chosen by stateassemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People'sRepresentatives (or lower chamber responsible for passinglegislation) (547 seats; members are directly elected by popularvote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 327,CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1,others 6, undeclared 2note: some seats still remain vacant as detained opposition MPs didnot take their seats
European Uniontwo legislative bodies consisting of the Council ofthe European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345 votes; thenumber of votes is roughly proportional to member-states'population; note - the Council is the main decision-making body ofthe EU) and the European Parliament (785 seats, as of 1 January2007; seats allocated among member states by proportion topopulation; members elected by direct universal suffrage for afive-year term)elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPP-ED 268,PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN 27,independents 28; note - seats by party as of 1 December 2007 -EPP-ED 275, PES 217, ALDE 104, UEN 44, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41,IND/DEM 24, independents 34, 4 unaccounted for
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)unicameral Legislative Council (10seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote;to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governorelections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November2009)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8
Faroe Islandsunicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats;members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from theseven constituencies to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later thanJanuary 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 21%, SocialDemocratic Party 19.4%, Republican Party 23.3%, People's Party20.1%, Center Party 8.4%, Self-Government Party 7.2%, other 0.6%;seats by party - Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, SocialDemocratic Party 6, People's Party 7, Center Party 3, IndependenceParty 2note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last heldon 13 November 2007 (next to be held no later than November 2011);results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RepublicanParty 1, Union Party 1
Fijibicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council ofChiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the PrimeMinister, 8 on the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointedon the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House ofRepresentatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing thewhole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held 6-13 May 2006 (nextto be held in 2011)election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other10.5%; seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2
Finlandunicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members areelected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-yearterms)elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held March 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%,SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4.1%,other 3.4%; seats by party - Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other 1
Francebicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate orSenat (331 seats, 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseasdepartments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad;members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to servesix-year terms; one third elected every three years); note - between2006 and 2011, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for a totalof 348 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments,2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon,1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for overseasterritories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008,members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college to servesix-year terms, with one-half elected every three years; and theNational Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats, 555 formetropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 fordependencies; members are elected by popular vote under asingle-member majority system to serve five-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held inSeptember 2008); National Assembly - last held 10 and 17 June 2007(next to be held in June 2012)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF (now MoDem) 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - UMP 46.37%, PS42.25%, miscellaneous left wing parties 2.47%, PCF 2.28%, NC 2.12%,PRG 1.65%, miscellaneous right wing parties 1.17%, the Greens 0.45,other 1.24%; seats by party - UMP 313, PS 186, NC 22, miscellaneousleft wing parties 15, PCF 15, miscellaneous right wing parties 9,PRG 7, the Greens 4, other 6
French Polynesiaunicameral Territorial Assembly or AssembleeTerritoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms)elections: last held 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February2008 (second round) (next to be held NA 2013)election results: percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (TahoeraaHuiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27,Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998(next to be held in September 2007); results - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to theFrench National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
Gabonbicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats;members elected by members of municipal councils and departmentalassemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly orAssemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct,popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (nextto be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party- PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2,independents 4, others 5
Gambia, Theunicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 memberselected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; to servefive-year terms)elections: last held 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1
Georgiaunicameral Parliament or Parlamenti (also known as SupremeCouncil or Umaghlesi Sabcho) (235 seats; 150 members elected byproportional representation, 75 from single-seat constituencies, and10 represent displaced persons from Abkhazia; to serve five-yearterms)elections: last held 21 May 2008 (next to be held in spring 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - NationalMovement-Democratic Front 59.2%, National Council-New Rights 17.7%,other parties 23.1%; seats by party - National Movement-DemocraticFront 120, National Council-New Rights 16
Germanybicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the FederalAssembly or Bundestag (614 seats; elected by popular vote under asystem combining direct and proportional representation; a partymust win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gainproportional representation and caucus recognition; to servefour-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes;state governments are directly represented by votes; each has threeto six votes depending on population and are required to vote as ablock)elections: Bundestag - last held on 18 September 2005 (next to beheld no later than autumn 2009); note - there are no elections forthe Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of thestate-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has thepotential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an electionelection results: Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU35.2%, SPD 34.3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%, other 3.9%;seats by party - CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 53, Greens 51,independents 2
Ghanaunicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected bydirect, popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held 7 December2008)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -NPP 128, NDC 94, PNC 4, CPP 3, independent 1
Gibraltarunicameral Parliament (18 seats: 17 members elected bypopular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; to servefour-year terms)elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later thanOctober 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%,Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4,Gibraltar Liberal Party 3
Greeceunicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats;members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: elections last held 16 September 2007 (next to be held by2011)election results: percent of vote by party - ND 41.8%, PASOK 38.1%,KKE 8.2%, Synaspismos 5%, LAOS 3.8%, other 3.1%; seats by party - ND152, PASOK 102, KKE 22, Synaspismos 14, LAOS 10
Greenlandunicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; membersare elected by popular vote on the basis of proportionalrepresentation to serve four-year terms)elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held byDecember 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%,Demokratiit 22.8%, IA 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusseqatigiit4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, IA 7,Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament orFolketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011);percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, InuitAtaqatigiit 1
Grenadabicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (13 seats, 10appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition)and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held on 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013)election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NDC 11, NNP 4
Guamunicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve two-year terms)elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November2008)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House ofRepresentatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be heldin November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - Democratic Party 1
Guatemalaunicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de laRepublica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: last held 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September2011)election results: percent of vote by party - UNE 30.4%, GANA 23.4%,PP 18.9%, FRG 9.5%, PU 5.1%, other 12.7%; seats by party - UNE 48,GANA 37, PP 30, FRG 15, PU 8, CASA 5, EG 4, PAN 4, UCN 4, URNG 2, UD1
Guernseyunicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members areelected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sarkhave parliamentselections: last held 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Guineaunicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee NationalePopulaire (114 seats; members are elected by a mixed system ofdirect popular vote and proportional party lists)elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held in 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9note: legislative elections were due in 2007 but have been postponed
Guinea-Bissauunicameral National People's Assembly or AssembleiaNacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve four-year terms)elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held 16 November 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats byparty - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1
Guyanaunicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected bypopular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministersand 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed bythe president; to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%,AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5,other 2
Haitibicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists ofthe Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to servesix-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamberof Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidatein each department receiving the most votes in the last electionserves six years, the candidate with the second most votes servesfour years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves twoyearselections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off electionson 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats,to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 and 29 April 2007 (nextregular election to be held in 2010)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - L'ESPWA 11, FUSION 5, OPL 4, FL 3, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, PONT 2,ALYANS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seatsby party - L'ESPWA 23, FUSION 17, FRN 12, OPL 10, ALYANS 10, LAAA 5,MPH 3, MOCHRENA 3, other 10; results for six other seats contestedon 3 December 2006 remain unknown