1954)

Constitution:
19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November
1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

Legal system:
socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of
legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of
various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held NA April 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or
Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats
in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats;
one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds
elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the
constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
December 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party NA%

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Court Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic National
Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation Front or
FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh
KEBIR (self-exiled in Germany)]; National Entente Movement or MEN
[Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz
BELKHADEM, secretary general (also serves as Foreign Minister)];
National Refo