(from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution: the constitution of January 1993 was revised by
national referendum on 12 May 1996

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January
1996); note--the president is both chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28
January 1996); note--Ibrahim MAYAKI (since 27 November 1997) was
appointed prime minister by the president but does not exercise any
executive authority and is only the implementor of the president's
programs; the president is both chief of state and head of government
note: President Ibrahim BARE was assasinated on the 9 April 1999
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
last held 7-8 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note--Ibrahim BARE
Mainassara initially became president when he ousted President
Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup on 27 January 1996 and subsequently
defeated him in the flawed election of July 1996
election results: percent of vote--Ibrahim BARE Mainassara 52.22%,
Mahamane OUSMANE 19.75%, Tandja MAMADOU 15.65%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU
7.60%, Moumouni AMADOU Djermakoye 4.77%

Legislative branch: two-chamber National Assembly; one chamber
with 83 seats (members elected by popular vote for five-year terms);
selection process for second chamber not established
elections: last held 23 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UNIRD
59, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 8, UDPS-Amana 3, coalition of independents 3,
MDP-Alkwali 1, UPDP-Shamuwa 4, DARAJA 3, PMT-Albarka 2

Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or
Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and
TALBA, chairman]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or
MAMADOU, chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic
Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya
Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives-Shamuwa or UPDP-Shamuwa
NA]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU