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Angola changed from a one-party Marxist-Leninist system ruled by the MPLA to a nominal multiparty democracy following the 1992 elections, in which President dos Santos won the first-round election with more than 49% of the vote to Jonas Savimbi's 40%; a runoff never took place. The Constitutional Law of 1992 establishes the broad outlines of government structure and delineates the rights and duties of citizens. The government is based on ordinances, decrees, and decisions issued by a president and his ministers or through legislation produced by the National Assembly and approved by the president. The parliament is generally subordinate to the executive.
Few opportunities exist for opposition parties to challenge MPLA dominance. A multi-party constitutional reform process is underway in parliament. President dos Santos has stated he intends to organize new parliamentary and presidential elections after the approval of a new constitution--currently under debate--and following consultations with political parties and civil society. The leading opposition parties, including UNITA, favor a 2005 date. The MPLA has announced its preference for elections in 2006.
Angola is governed by a president who is assisted by a prime minister and 30 cabinet ministers, all appointed by the president. Political power is concentrated in the presidency. The executive branch of the government is composed of the president (head of state and government), the prime minister, and the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers, composed of all government ministers and vice ministers, meets regularly to discuss policy issues. The President, the Council of Ministers, and individual ministers in their areas of competence have the ability to legislate by decree.
The National Assembly has 220 members elected in 1992 (three seats for Angolans living abroad have never been filled). They represent parties whose weight is determined by a formula that takes into account national tickets and provincial voting. The ruling MPLA controls 59% of the seats.
The central government administers the country through 18 provinces. Governors of the provinces are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the president.
The legal system is based on Portuguese and customary law but is weak and fragmented. Courts operate in only a fraction of the 164 municipalities. A Supreme Court serves as the appellate tribunal; a Constitutional Court with powers of judicial review has never been constituted despite statutory authorization.
The 27-year-long civil war has ravaged the country's political and social institutions. The government estimates that 4.7 million people were internally displaced by the civil war. As of January 2004, 3.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) had returned to their communities. Reintegrating these returned IDPs, 195,000 returned refugees, and 450,000 former UNITA soldiers and their family members continues to pose serious challenges. Resettlement of the remaining internally displaced and the return of 250,000 refugees from neighboring countries is ongoing. Daily conditions of life throughout the country and specifically in Luanda (population approximately 4 million) mirror the collapse of administrative infrastructure as well as weak social institutions. Government support for social institutions is inadequate. Hospitals are without medicines or basic equipment, schools are without books, and public employees often lack the basic supplies for their day-to-day work.
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President: dos Santos, Jose Eduardo
Prime Minister: dos Santos "Nando", Fernando da Piedade Dias
Cabinet Members:
: Cardoso, Boaventura (Min. of Culture)
: Paihama, Kundi (Min. of Defense)
: da Silva, Antonio Burity (Min. of Education)
: de Vasconcelos, Jose Botelho (Min. of Energy & Water)
: Pereira, Virgilio Fontes (Min. of Environment & Urban Development)
: de Miranda, Joao Bernardo (Min. of External Relations)
: de Morais, Jose Pedro (Min. of Finance)
: Xirimbimbi, Salamao (Min. of Fisheries)
: Africano, Manuel Antonio (Min. of Geology & Mines)
: Hamakwaya, Albertina Julia (Min. of Health)
: David, Joaquim Duarte da Costa (Min. of Industry)
: Van Dunem, Oswaldo de Jesus Serra (Min. of Interior)
: Tjipilica, Paulo (Min. of Justice)
: da Costa, Desiderio (Min. of Petroleum)
: Lourenco, Ana Dias (Min. of Planning)
: Neto, Antonio Pitra (Min. of Public Administration & Employment)
: Carneiro, Francisco Higino (Min. of Public Works)
: Ngandagina, Joao Baptista (Min. of Science & Technology)
: Lutukuta, Gilberto (Min. of Agriculture & Rural Development)
: Hossi, Victorino Domingos (Min. of Commerce)
: Neto, Pedro Henrick Vaal (Min. of Social Communication)
: Kussumua, Joao Baptista (Min. of Social Reintegration)
: Ribeiro, Licinio Tavares (Min. of Telecommunications)
: Muteka, Fernando Faustino (Min. of Territorial Admin.)
: Valentim, Jorge Alicerces (Min. of Tourism & Hotels)
: Brandao, Andre Luis (Min. of Transport)
: van Dunem, Pedro Jose (Min. of Veterans & Ex-Combatants)
: da Silva, Candida Celeste (Min. of Women & Family Affairs)
: Barrica, Jose Marcos (Min. of Youth & Sports)
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: Leitao, Jose da Costa e Silva (Min. in the Office of the Presidency, Civil Affairs)
: Peixoto, Jose Mateus de Adelino (Min. in the Office of the Presidency, General Secretariat)
: Dias "Kopelipa", Manuel Helder (Min. in the Office of the Presidency, Military Affairs)
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