<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 17 August 1960 (from France)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Renovation Day, 12 March (1968) (Gabonese Democratic Party established)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> adopted 14 March 1991
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 21 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967); election last held on 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results—President Omar BONGO was reelected with 51% of the vote
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Casimir OYE-MBA (since 3 May 1990)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
<item><hi format=bold>National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):</hi> elections last held on 21 and 28 October and 4 November 1990 (next to be held by NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(120 total) PDG 62, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 19, PGP 18, National Recovery Movement (Morena-Original) 7, APSG 6, USG 4, CRP 1, independents 3
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG, former sole party), Jaques ADIAHENOT, Secretary General; National Recovery Movement—Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons/RNB), Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE, leader; Gabonese Party for Progress (PGP), Pierre-Louis AGONDHO-OKAWE, President; National Recovery Movement (Morena-Original), Pierre ZONGUE-NGUEMA, Chairman; Association for Socialism in Gabon (APSG), leader NA; Gabonese Socialist Union (USG), leader NA; Circle for Renewal and Progress (CRP), leader NA; Union for Democracy and Development (UDD), leader NA; Rally of Democrats (RD), leader NA; Forces of Change for Democratic Union, leader NA