BAME Nguema (since 9
December 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote-Omar
BONGO 51%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (91
seats) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats);
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms
elections: National Assembly-last held in December 1996 (next to be
held in December 2001); Senate-last held 12 January 1997 (next to be
held in January 2002)
election results: National Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party - PDG 100, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 8, PUP 3, CLR 3, FAR 1, UPG
1, USG 2, PGP 2; Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-PDG 51, RNB 17, PGP 4, ADERA 3, RDP 1, others 15
note: the provision of the constitution for the establishment of a
senate was implemented in the 12 January 1997 elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three
chambers-Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court;
Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders: Action Forum for Renewal or FAR [Leon
MBOU-YEMBI, secretary general]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR
[General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG,
former sole party [Simplice Guedet MANZELA, secretary general];
Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,
president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU];
Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [Dr. Serge Mba BEKALE]; National
Recovery Movement-Lumberjacks or Morena-Bucherons/RNB [Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA];
ADERA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Akexandre SAMBAT,
president]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC,
CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA
chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washin