<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 11 August 1960 (from France)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day 11 August (1960)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 22 December 1989, suspended 3 December 1990; Provisional National Charter 1 March 1991; constitutional commission drafting new constitution to submit to transitional parliament for ratification in April 1994
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> universal at age NA
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Col. Idriss DEBY, since 4 December 1990 (after seizing power on 3 December 1990—transitional government's mandate expires April 1995)
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Kassire Delwa KOUMAKOYE (since 17 November 1993)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of State; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister
<item>National Consultative Council (Conceil National
<item><hi format=bold>Consultatif):</hi> elections last held 8 July 1990; disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members appointed by President DEBY on 8 March 1991; this, in turn, was replaced by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference on 6 April 1993
<item><hi format=bold>Judicial branch:</hi> Court of Appeal
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS; former dissident group), Idriss DEBY, chairman
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> President DEBY, who promised political pluralism, a new constitution, and free elections by April 1994, has postponed these initiatives for another year; there are numerous dissident groups and 26 opposition political parties
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<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> NA
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flag of Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a quartered shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France