
French Guiana Government
French Guiana Government: A summary of information about French Guiana Government, from government research data as well as independent research and other sources.
French Guiana: Government
Country name
conventional long form: Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane
Data code
FG
Dependency status
overseas department of France
Government type
NA
Capital
Cayenne
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system
French legal system
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since NA January 1997) head of government: President of the General Council Andre LECANTE (since NA March 1998); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held 20-27 March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 8, FDG 4, RPR 1, other left 2, other right 2, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, PSG 1
Judicial branch
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Political parties and leaders
Action Democrate Guiana or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Democratic and European Rally of the Senate or RDSE [leader NA]; Guianese Socialist Party or PSG ; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG ; Nationalist Popular Party of Guyana (Parti Nationaliste Populaire Guiana) or PNPG ; Rally for the Republic or RPR ; Socialist Party or PS (may be a subset of PSG); Union for French Democracy or UDF ; Union of Social Democrats (Union des Socialistes Democates) or USD (umbrella group of RPR and UDF); Walwari Committee
International organization participation
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas department of France)
Flag description
the flag of France is used