Government (Reunion)
====================


     Long-form name:
         Department of Reunion
     Type:
         overseas department of France
     Capital:
         Saint-Denis
     Administrative divisions:
         none (overseas department of France)
     Independence:
         none (overseas department of France)
     Constitution:
         28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
     Legal system:
         French law
     National holiday:
         Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
     Executive branch:
         French president, commissioner of the Republic
     Legislative branch:
         General Council, Regional Council
     Judicial branch:
         Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
     Leaders:
       Chief of State:
         President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
       Head of Government:
         Commissioner of the Republic Jacques DEWATRE (since July 1991)
     Political parties and leaders:
         Rally for the Republic (RPR), Francois MAS; Union for French Democracy
         (UDF), Gilbert GERARD; Communist Party of Reunion (PCR), Paul VERGES;
         France-Reunion Future (FRA), Andre THIEN AH KOON; Socialist Party (PS),
         Jean-Claude FRUTEAU; Social Democrats (CDS); other small parties
     Suffrage:
         universal at age 18
     Elections:
       General Council:
         last held September/October 1988 (next to be held NA 1994); results -
         percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total) PCR 9, PS 4, UDF 6, other
         left-wing 2, RPR 4, right-wing 19
       Regional Council:
         last held 16 March 1986 (next to be held NA March 1992); results - RPR/UDF
         36.8%, PCR 28.2%, FRA and other right wing 17.3%, PS 14.1%, other 3.6%;
         seats - (45 total) RPR/UDF 18, PCR 13, FRA and other right wing 8, PS 6
       French Senate:
         last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1992); results -
         percent of vote by party NA; seats - (3 total) RPR-UDF 1, PS 1, independent
         1
       French National Assembly:
         last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held NA June 1993); results -
         percent of vote by party NA; seats - (5 total) PCR 2, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1, FRA
         1; note - Reunion elects 3 members to the French Senate and 5 members to the
         French National Assembly who are voting members
     Communists:
         Communist party small but has support among sugarcane cutters, the minuscule
         Popular Movement for the Liberation of Reunion (MPLR), and in the district
         of Le Port
     Member of:
         FZ, WFTU