1 June 1989, 5
November 1992, and 3 September 1997

Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews
the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera GUTERRES
(since 28 October 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January 2001);
following assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by
the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO elected president; percent of
vote-Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Social
Democrat) 46.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia
da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 October 1995 (next to be held by NA October
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party-PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU
8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats by party-PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica, judges
appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or PSD [Marcelo
Rebelo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Antonio GUTERRES];
Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Carlos CARVALHAS]; Popular Party or
PP (formerly known as Center Democratic Party or CDS) [Rebelo DE
SOUSA]; National Solidarity Party or PSN [Manuel SERGIO]; United
Democratic Coalition or CDU (communists; includes the PCP and a number
of small leftist groups)

International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group, BIS,
CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA
(observer), MINURSO, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WEU