<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> none (overseas department of France)
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> none (overseas department of France)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> French legal system
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prefect Michel MORIN (since NA); President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Emile CAPGRAS (since 22 March 1992)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Legislative branch:</hi> unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Assembly
<item><hi format=bold>General Council:</hi> elections last held in 25 September and 8 October 1988 (next to be held by NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(44 total) number of seats by party NA; note—a leftist coalition obtained a one-seat margin
<item><hi format=bold>Regional Assembly:</hi> elections last held on 22 March 1992 (next to be held by March 1998); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(41 total) RPR-UDF 16, MIM 9, PPM 9, PCM 5, independents 2
<item><hi format=bold>French Senate:</hi> elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1
<item><hi format=bold>French National Assembly:</hi> elections last held on NA June 1993 (next to be held June 1998); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(4 total) RPR 3, FSM 1
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen BAGOE; Union for a Martinique of Progress (UMP); Martinique Progressive Party (PPM), Aime CESAIRE and Camille DARSIERES; Socialist Federation of Martinique (FSM), Jean CRUSOL; Martinique Communist Party (PCM); Martinique Patriots (PM); Union for French Democracy (UDF), Jean MARAN; Martinique Independence Movement (MIM), Alfred MARIE-JEANNE
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> Proletarian Action Group (GAP); Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist Revolution Group (GRS); Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC); Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc PULVAR; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Parti Martiniquais Socialiste (PMS)
