| Horoscope |
|---|
|
|
|
| |
|
Suriname Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Suriname
Official Name: Republic of Suriname
Capital: Paramaribo
Area: 163,270 square kilometres ( 63,039 square miles )
Major cities (Population): Paramaribo 100,000 (1990 estimate)
Population: 423,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 1.1 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Republic
Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
Constitution: Ratified 30 September 1987
Voting Rights: Universal at age 18
Government
Until 1980 Suriname was governed under a constitution adopted in 1975. The government was headed by a popularly elected president, a council of ministers, and a unicameral parliament. Following a coup d'état in 1980, the constitution was suspended, parliament was dissolved, and the Policy Centre, a council dominated by the military, began ruling by decree. A new constitution, adopted by referendum in 1987, established a 51-member national assembly with the power to select the president. The president is elected to a five-year term.
There was a second military coup on 24 December 1990, but civilian rule was re-established after elections in May 1991. The national assembly was unable to muster the two-thirds majority needed to approve a new president, so a United People’s Assembly of 860 national and local representatives was convened. Ronald Venetiaan was elected president for a five-year term. In April 1992 a constitutional amendment limited the power of the military. In August 1992 the government negotiated a peace agreement with the two main guerrilla groups, which were to integrate with the police force.
|
|
