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The unicameral assembly (Sobranie) consists of 120 seats. Members are elected by popular vote from party lists, based on the percentage parties gain of the overall vote in each of six election districts of 20 seats each. Members of parliament have a 4-year mandate.
The prime minister is the head of government and is selected by the party or coalition that gains a majority of seats in parliament. The prime minister and other ministers must not be members of parliament.
The president represents Macedonia at home and abroad. He is the commander in chief of the armed forces of Macedonia and heads its Security Council. The president is elected by general, direct ballot and has a term of 5 years, with the right to one re-election.
General parliamentary elections were last held on September 15, 2002. Presidential elections were held April 14 and 28, 2004 to succeed President Trajkovski, who died in office in February 2004. Local elections will be held in 2005.
The court system consists of a Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and local and appeals courts. The Republican Judicial Council is composed of 7 members elected by parliament for a period of 6 years with the right to one re-election; it governs the ethical conduct of judges and recommends to parliament the election of judges. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and is responsible for the equal administration of laws by all courts. Its judges are appointed by parliament without time limit. The Constitutional Court is responsible for the protection of constitutional and legal rights and for resolving conflicts of power between the three branches of government. Its 9 judges are appointed by parliament with a mandate of 9 years, without the possibility of re-election. An independent Public Prosecutor is appointed by parliament with a 6-year mandate.
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President--Branko Crvenkovski
Prime Minister--vacant (parliamentary vote anticipated December 2004)
Deputy Prime Minister (EU Integration)--Radmila Sekerinska
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Labor and Social Policy—Jovan Manasijevski
Deputy Prime Minister (Decentralization and Equal Representation)--Musa Xhaferi
Foreign Minister--Ilinka Mitreva
Defense Minister--Vlado Buckovski
Economy Minister--Stevce Jakimovski
Finance Minister–Nikola Popovski
Interior Minister--Siljan Avramovski
Justice Minister--Ixhet Memeti
Ambassador to the United States--Nikola Dimitrov
Ambassador to the United Nations--Igor Dzundev
The country maintains an embassy in the United States at 1101 30 Street, NW, Suite 302, Washington, DC 20007 (tel: (202) 337-3063; fax: (202) 337-3093).
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Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: Adopted November 17, 1991; effective November 20, 1991.
Independence: September 8, 1991 (from Yugoslavia).
Branches: Executive--prime minister (head of government), council of ministers (cabinet), president (head of state). Legislative--unicameral parliament or Sobranie (120 members elected by popular vote to 4-year terms from party lists based on the percentage parties gain of the overall vote in each of the six election units). Judicial--Supreme Court, Republican Judicial Council, Constitutional Court of the Republic of Macedonia, Public Prosecutor's Office, Public Attorney. Legal system is based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts.
Subdivisions: 123 opstini (municipalities) plus the city of Skopje (implementation of legislation to reduce the number of municipalities to 84 will begin in January 2005).
Suffrage: Universal at age 18.
Main political parties: Social-Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM); Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE); Democratic Union for Integration (DUI); Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA); Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP); National Democratic Party (NDP); Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP); Socialist Party of Macedonia (SPM); Liberal Party (LP); Democratic Alternative (DA); Democratic Union (DU); Democratic Party of the Turks in Macedonia (DPTM); Democratic League of Bosniaks; Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia, United Party of Romas in Macedonia; Democratic Union of Vlachs from Macedonia; Labor-Agricultural Party of Macedonia, Socialist-Christian Party of Macedonia; Green Party of Macedonia.
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