Legal system: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January
1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1
January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 4 October
1998 (next to be held NA October 2002)
election results: Fernando Henrique CARDOSO reelected president;
percent of vote--53%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso
Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats;
three members from each state or federal district elected according
to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third
elected after a four year period, two-thirds elected after the next
four-year period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos
Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Federal Senate--last held 4 October 1998 for one-third of
Senate (next to be held NA October 2002 for two-thirds of the
Senate); Chamber of Deputies--last held 4 October 1998 (next to be
held NA October 2002)
election results: Federal Senate--percent of vote by party--NA%; seats
by party--PMDB 27, PFL 20, PSDB 16, PT 7, PPB 5; Chamber of
Deputies--percent of vote by party--NA%; seats by party--PFL 106, PSDB
99, PMDB 82, PPB 60, PT 58

Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal, 11 judges are
appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate

Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement

Political pressure groups and leaders: left wing of the Catholic
Church, Landless Worker's Movement, and labor unions allied to
leftist Workers' Party are critical of government's social and
economic policies

International organization participation: AfDB, BIS, CCC, ECLAC,
FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,