Government (Andorra)
====================


     Long-form name:
         Principality of Andorra
     Type:
         unique coprincipality under formal sovereignty of president of France and
         Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials
         called veguers
     Capital:
         Andorra la Vella
     Administrative divisions:
         7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La
         Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
     Independence:
         1278
     Constitution:
         none; some pareatges and decrees, mostly custom and usage
     Legal system:
         based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative
         acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
     National holiday:
         Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September
     Executive branch:
         two co-princes (president of France, bishop of Seo de Urgel in Spain), two
         designated representatives (French veguer, Episcopal veguer), two permanent
         delegates (French prefect for the department of Pyrenees-Orientales, Spanish
         vicar general for the Seo de Urgel diocese), president of government,
         Executive Council
     Legislative branch:
         unicameral General Council of the Valleys (Consell General de las Valls)
     Judicial branch:
         civil cases - Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) or the
         Ecclesiastical Court of the bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain); criminal cases -
         Tribunal of the Courts (Tribunal des Cortes)
     Leaders:
       Chiefs of State:
         French Co-Prince Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981), represented by
         Veguer de Franca Jean Pierre COURTOIS; Spanish Episcopal Co-Prince Mgr. Joan
         MARTI y Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented by Veguer Episcopal
         Francesc BADIA Batalla
       Head of Government:
         Oscar RIBAS Reig (since January 1990)
     Political parties and leaders:
         political parties not yet legally recognized; traditionally no political
         parties but partisans for particular independent candidates for the General
         Council on the basis of competence, personality, and orientation toward
         Spain or France; various small pressure groups developed in 1972; first
         formal political party, Andorran Democratic Association, was formed in 1976
         and reorganized in 1979 as Andorran Democratic Party
     Suffrage:
         universal at age 18
     Elections:
       General Council of the Valleys:
         last held 11 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993); results -
         percent of vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) number of seats by party NA
     Member of:
         INTERPOL, IOC
     Diplomatic representation:
         Andorra has no mission in the US