NationMaster - Saint Lucian Government statistics

Capital city	Castries
Constitution	22 February 1979
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997)
Executive branch > Elections none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Sir John COMPTON (since 15 December 2006); note - since 1 May 2007 Stephenson KING has been acting prime minister while Sir John COMPTON recovers from a series of strokes
Flag modification	65	[65th of 197]
Government type	parliamentary democracy
Independence 22 February 1979 (from UK)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Legal system based on English common law
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Legislative branch > Elections House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)
National holiday Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Political parties and leaders National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Sir John COMPTON]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
UN membership date	18 Sep. 1979
United Nations mission http://www.un.int/stlucia/

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SOURCES: The location of the seat of government.; The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution ; Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members. ; The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government ; Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election ; Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. ; The date on which the nation's flag was last modified.; A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship). ; For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. " ; This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way. ; The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members. ; A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction. ; This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election. ; The primary national day of celebration - often independence day. ; Significant political organizations and their leaders. ; Democracy: state in which democratic structures provide for an alternance of power
Pseudo-Democracy: state in which there are democratic structures but without a real chance for an alternance of power
Transition State: a state with a transitional structure
Absolute Monarchy: a one-party state, or a state governed by an absolute monarchy or dictatorship.; The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted ; Date of United Nations Membership; United Missions mission or approximate website

ALTERNATIVE NAMES: Saint Lucia, st lucia, St. Lucia

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