politics of nicaragua

Nicaragua is a constitutional democracy with executive, legislative, judicial, and electoral branches of government. In 1995, the executive and legislative branches negotiated a reform of the 1987 Sandinista constitution which gave extensive new powers and independence to the legislature—the National Assembly—including permitting the Assembly to override a presidential veto with a simple majority vote and eliminating the president's ability to pocket veto a bill. Both the president and the members of the unicameral National Assembly are elected to concurrent five-year terms. The National Assembly consists of 90 deputies elected from party lists drawn at the department and national level, plus the outgoing president and the runner-up in the presidential race, for a total of 92. In the 2001 elections, the PLC and its allies won 52 seats, the FSLN won 37 seats, and the Conservative Party 1 seat. In addition, ex-president Arnoldo Alemn assumed a seat, as did runner-up Daniel Ortega. During the 2002 legislative term, Aleman will serve as President of the National Assembly. The Supreme Court supervises the functioning of the still largely ineffective and overburdened judicial system. As part of the 1995 constitutional reforms, the independence of the Supreme Court was strengthened by increasing the number of magistrates from 9 to 12. In 2000, the number or Supreme Court Justices was increased to 16. Supreme Court justices are nominated by the political parties and elected to 5-year terms by the National Assembly. Led by a council of seven magistrates, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) is the co-equal branch of government responsible for organizing and conducting elections, plebiscites, and referendums. The magistrates and their alternates are elected to 5-year terms by the National Assembly. Constitutional changes in 2000 expanded the number of CSE magistrates from five to seven and gave the PLC and the FSLN a freer hand to name party activists to the council, prompting allegations that both parties were politicizing electoral institutions and processes and excluding smaller political parties. Freedom of speech is a right guaranteed by the Nicaraguan constitution and vigorously exercised by its people. Diverse viewpoints are freely and openly discussed in the media and in academia. There is no state censorship in Nicaragua. Other constitutional freedoms include peaceful assembly and association, freedom of religion, and freedom of movement within the country, as well as foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation. The government also permits domestic and international human rights monitors to operate freely in Nicaragua. The constitution prohibits discrimination based on birth, nationality, political belief, race, gender, language, religion, opinion, national origin, economic or social condition. All public and private sector workers, except the military and the police, are entitled to form and join unions of their own choosing, and they exercise this right extensively. Nearly half of Nicaragua's work force, including agricultural workers, is unionized. Workers have the right to strike. Collective bargaining is becoming more common in the private sector.

Country name

Conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua Conventional short form: Nicaragua Local long form: Repblica de Nicaragua Local short form: Nicaragua Government type: Republic Capital: Managua

Administrative divisions

15 departments (departamento(s)), two autonomous regions* ''(regiones autonomistas); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Estel, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution

9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Legal system

Civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal.

Executive branch

Chief of state: President Enrique Bolaos (10 January 2002); Vice President Jos Rizo Castelln. Note – the president is both chief of state and head of government Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Elections

The president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held October 2001. Note – in July 1995 the term of the office of the president was amended to five years.

Election results (1996)

Arnoldo ALEMN Lacayo (Liberal Alliance - ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 51.03%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 37.75%, Guillermo OSORNO (PCCN) 4.10%, Noel VIDAURRE (PCN) 2.26%, Benjamin LANZAS (PRONAL) 0.53%, other (18 other candidates) 4.33%

Election results (2001)

Enrique BOLAOS Geyer (PLC) elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PCN) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Legislative branch

Unicameral National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional). 93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms.

Election results (1996)

Percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PNC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 Alliance 1

Election results (2001)

Percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN 38, PCN 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), 16 judges elected for seven-year terms by the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders

Main article: List of political parties in Nicaragua

Central American Integrationist Party or PIAC NA; Central American Unionist Party or PUCA ROJAS Echaverry; Conservative Action Movement or MAC ZUNIGA; Conservative National Party or PNC CALERO, Noel VIDAURRE; Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN Fernando AGUERO Rocha; Independent Liberal Party or PLI GODOY; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN GUERRA Gallardo; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC RIZO Castellon; Movement for Revolutionary Unity or MUR NA; National Democratic Party or PND CESAR Aguirre; National Project or PRONAL LACAYO Oyanguren; Nationalist Liberal Party or PLN SANCHEZ Herdocia; Neoliberal Party or PALI GARCIA Esquivel; Nicaraguan Democratic Movement or MDN GUZMAN; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Road or PCCN OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN GADEA; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN Daniel Ortega Saavedra; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS RAMIREZ; Social Christian Party or PSC RAMIREZ; Social Democratic Party or PSD JARQUIN; Unity Alliance or AU SERRANO; UNO-96 Alliance CESAR Aguirre Note: political blocs include: left - FSLN; center left - MRS, PSD, PSC, MUR, PIAC, AU, PCN, PND, PUCA, UNO-96 Alliance, and MDN; center right - PALI, PRN, PLI, PRONAL, and MAC; right - PCCN, PLC, PLIUN, PNC, and PLN

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions: Farm Workers Association or ATC; Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD; Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO; National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN; National Union of Employees or UNE; and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG; National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions: Sandinista Workers Central or CST; Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions: Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A; Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS; Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I; and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Flag description

Main article: Flag of Nicaragua

Three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band