Government > Executive branch > A note: Countries Compared
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COUNTRY |
DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| AustraliaAustralia | government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party |
| AustriaAustria | government coalition - OeVP and FPOe |
| BelgiumBelgium | government coalition - VLD, PRL-FDF, PS, MCC, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO |
| BeninBenin | the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed a "friendly match" |
| Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina | President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC (since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); note - president and vice president rotate every year; President of the Republika Srpska: Dragan CAVIC (since 28 November 2002) |
| Burkina FasoBurkina Faso | President COMPAORE faces an increasingly well-coordinated opposition; recent charges against a former member of his Presidential Guard in the 1998 assassination of a newspaper editor signify an attempt to defuse chronic areas of dissatisfaction |
| ChadChad | government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD |
| CroatiaCroatia | government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS; a fifth party, the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), withdrew in June 2001 |
| CyprusCyprus | Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for a five-year term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president after the other contender withdrew; Dervis EROGLU has been "prime minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area |
| Czech RepublicCzech Republic | the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor after two inconclusive elections in January 2003 and three rounds of balloting on 28 February 2003 |
| Democratic Republic of the CongoCongo, DR. | Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overthrown militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA; KABILA immediately assumed governing authority and pledged to hold elections by April 1999, but, in December 1998, announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting to topple the government had withdrawn from the country; KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and was succeeded by his son Joseph KABILA |
| Faroe IslandsFaroe Islands | coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, and Home Rule Party |
| FinlandFinland | government coalition - SDP, Kok, Leftist Alliance (People's Democratic Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green League |
| GreenlandGreenland | government coalition - Siumut and Atassut |
| HungaryHungary | to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the third round |
| IndonesiaIndonesia | the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) includes the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) plus 195 indirectly selected members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and to approve broad outlines of national policy and also has yearly meetings to consider constitutional and legislative changes; constitutional amendments adopted in 2001 and 2002 provide for the MPR to be restructured in 2004 and to consist entirely of popularly-elected members who will be in the DPR and the new House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD); the MPR will no longer formulate national policy |
| IrelandIreland | government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats |
| ItalyItaly | a five-party government coalition includes Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, Democratic Christian Center, United Christian Democrats |
| JapanJapan | following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI, Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority Liberal Democratic Party, and soon thereafter designated by the Diet to become the next prime minister |
| KazakhstanKazakhstan | President NAZARBAYEV expanded his presidential powers by decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities |
| LuxembourgLuxembourg | government coalition - CSV and DP |
| NepalNepal | King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle |
| NetherlandsNetherlands | there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the prime minister on legislative and administrative policy |
| Netherlands AntillesN. Antilles | government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP |
| PakistanPakistan | following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; exercising the powers of the head of the government, he appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself as president and was sworn in, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years |
| PanamaPanama | government coalition - PA, MOLIRENA, Democratic Change, MORENA, PLN, PS |
| ParaguayParaguay | President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000 |
| PeruPeru | Prime Minister Luis SOLARI DE LA FUENTE (since 12 July 2002) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president; DANINO resigned 11 July 2002 and was replaced by Luis SOLARI |
| PortugalPortugal | there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president |
| Puerto RicoPuerto Rico | residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice president |
| QatarQatar | in March 1999, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services |
| RussiaRussia | there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president |
| San MarinoSan Marino | the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are ten secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister |
| SlovakiaSlovakia | government coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH |
| South AfricaSouth Africa | ANC-IFP is the governing coalition |
| SpainSpain | there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government |
| SudanSudan | BASHIR assumed supreme executive power in 1989 and retained it through several transitional governments in the early and mid-90s before being popularly elected for the first time in March 1996 |
| SurinameSuriname | widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the call for elections a year early |
| SyriaSyria | Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June 2000 |
| TanzaniaTanzania | Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that office on 29 October 2000 |
| ThailandThailand | there is also a Privy Council |
| TongaTonga | there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors |
| TurkeyTurkey | president must have a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third ballot |
| TurkmenistanTurkmenistan | NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28 December 1999 by the Assembly (Majlis) during a session of the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty) |
| UkraineUkraine | there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in September 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kyyiv (Kiev) and Sevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the oblasti |
| United Arab EmiratesUAE | there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power |
| VanuatuVanuatu | the government of Prime Minister Barak SOPE was ousted in a no confidence vote on 14 April 2001 and Edward NATAPEI was elected the new prime minister by Parliament |
| Wallis and FutunaWallis+ | there are three traditional kings with limited powers |
