<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Algeria<nl>Government</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Algeria
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Al Jaza'ir
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<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> AG
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Algiers
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 48 provinces (wilayast, singular—wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 5 July 1962 (from France)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988 and 23 February 1989
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Lamine ZEROUAL (since 31 January 1994); next election to be held after a three-year transition period which began on 31 January 1994
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Mokdad SIFI (since 11 April 1994)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister
<item><hi format=bold>National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani):</hi> elections first round held on 26 December 1991 (second round canceled by the military after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992, effectively suspending the Assembly); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(281 total); the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats contested in the first round; note—elections (municipal and wilaya) were held in June 1990, the first in Algerian history; results—FIS 55%, FLN 27.5%, other 17.5%, with 65% of the voters participating
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Islamic Salvation Front (FIS, outlawed April 1992), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Abdelkader HACHANI (all under arrest), Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany); National Liberation Front (FLN), Abdelhamid MEHRI, Secretary General; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine Ait AHMED, Secretary General
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)