|
Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
local long form: none
former: Bourbon Island |
|
Dependency
status: |
overseas department of
France |
|
Government
type: |
NA |
|
Capital: |
Saint-Denis
|
|
Administrative divisions: |
none (overseas
department of France); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4
arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons |
|
Independence: |
none (overseas
department of France) |
|
National
holiday: |
Bastille Day, 14 July
(1789) |
|
Constitution: |
28 September 1958
(French Constitution) |
|
Legal
system: |
French law |
|
Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
|
Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by
Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 16 August 2004)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those
councils
head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA |
|
Legislative branch: |
unicameral General
Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998
(next to be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004
(next to be held NA 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens
22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7
note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French
Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent
of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1, PCR 1
|
|
Judicial
branch: |
Court of Appeals or
Cour d'Appel |
|
Political
parties and leaders: |
Communist Party of
Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre
Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union
for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]; Union for a Popular
Movement or UMP [leader NA] |
|
Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
|
International organization participation: |
InOC, WFTU |
|
Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (overseas
department of France) |
|
Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (overseas
department of France) |
|
Flag
description: |
the flag of France is
used |