Policy of Panamá

The Panamá is a sovereign state and independent since its separation of the Colombia the November 3rd 1903. It is a democratic République unit, republican, representative and , in particular since the expulsion of the administration Noriega in 1989. Its official name is República de Panamá . The Constitution of 1972, modified in 1978, 1983 and 1994, governs the Organization To be able S of the République of Panamá.

Executive power

The President

The President is elected with the Vote for all direct for a five years mandate. The simple majority is sufficient to be elected president; there is no second turn. The president cannot be re-elected at the position of president for the two presidential mandates immediately following that for which he was elected.

He is the chief of the State and the Gouvernement. He names the members of his government.

Martín Torrijos, of the PRD (Left Revolutionary Democratic), is with the head of Panamá since September 1st 2004, and until in 2009. It had collected 47,4% of the voices to the elections of the May 2nd 2004, whereas Guillermo Endara, from the PS (Left Solidarity), obtained 30,9% of the votes, and Jose Miguel Alemán, of Pa (Parti Arnulfista), 16,4%.

The official residence of the president of the Republic of Panamá is the Palacio de Las Garzas (Palate of Hérons).

Vice-presidents

The vice-presidents, two, are elected with the Vote for all direct at the same time as the president, on same ballot paper. Their mandate is also five years. As for the election of the president, the simple majority is sufficient to be elected vice-president; there is no second turn. The vice-presidents cannot be re-elected at a post of vice-president for the two presidential mandates immediately following that for which they were elected.

Since September 1st 2004, the first vice-president is Samuel Lewis Navarro and the second vice-president Rubén Arosemena. Their mandate runs until in 2009.

The Government

The members of the Gouvernement are named by the President.

The current government is in place since September 1st 2004. It was altered for the 2nd time the April 28th 2006.

Legislative power

The Panamanian Parlement is monocaméral. It is consisted of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly

The Appointed S, with the number of seventy-eight, are elected by the universal direct suffrage for a five years mandate.

Legal system

Although the constitution envisages an independent judicial power, this one remains ineffective, politicized and tends to preach corruption. The independent source of the law is the constitution of 1972 (reformed many times, the last in 2004). The legal system is based on a system of civil law and legal revisions of the legislative acts. Panama accepts the obligatory jurisdiction of the CIJ but with reserves. Spanish is the legal language of the country, but it is possible to have recourse to an interpreter.

Panama is regarded as being a Rule of law, but corruption is a true plague, in particular on the level of the administration and political system. The country is also known to be the paradise of the bleaching of the money and the principal point of transit of the illegal immigrants and drug towards the USA. To get rid of this reputation remains one demolished to which the government must face. The foreign nationals cannot be certain to have an impartial legal matter lawsuit.

Political parties

Currently, nine Panamanian political parties are recorded near the Electoral Court. Several parties recently amalgamated or changed name.

Territorial organization

The Panamanian territory is divided into new Province S ( provincias ): Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Coclé, Colón, Darién, Herrera, Los Santos, Panamá and Veraguas. There exist also three comarcas indigenous with statute of province: Kuna Yala, Ngöbe-Bugle and Emberá-Wounnan.

These provinces and comarcas are divided into seventy-five Districts ( distritos ), themselves subdivided into six hundred and twenty corregimientos . Two others comarcas are with statute of corregimiento : Madungandí and Wargandí.

International relations

Panamá is member of the United Nations since the November 13rd 1945.

Starting from January 1st 2007 and during two years, he will be nonpermanent member of the Safety advice of UNO. Panamá was elected the November 7th 2006, with the 48e turn of Scrutin. It will represent the Group of the countries of Latin America and of the the Caribbean, to replace the Argentine. The poll was in a dead end after the 47 first turns, the Guatemala and the Venezuela which cannot be decided between. These two countries were finally withdrawn, with the profit of the Panamá.

Panamá is also member of the Organization of the American States and the Parlement centraméricain (Parlacen).

Elections

The vote is a right and a duty for all the major Panamanians (as from 18 years). It is free, equal, universal, secrecy and direct.

The electoral Court of Panamá is charged to guarantee freedom, the honesty and the effectiveness of the popular vote.

The last elections, the May 2nd 2004, were general: the Panamanians were to elect the president and the vice-presidents, their representatives with the Parlement centraméricain (20 deputies), with the National Assembly (78 deputies), on the level of the distritos (75 alcaldes ) and of the corregimientos (619 representatives), like their substitutes. The voters were to notch to it (S) candidates (S) of their choice on ballot papers specific to each type of election.

The next elections should be organized in May 2009.

Since the elections of May 2004, the voters do not have any more the finger marked with indelible ink.

Presidential

Legislative

Each of the nine provinces as well as both comarcas with staut of province Kuna Yala and Ngöbe-Bugle elect one or more deputies.

References

External bonds

Official site of the Presidency of the Republic of Panamá
Official site of the National Assembly of Panamá
Official site of the electoral Court of Panamá
Ballot papers of the general elections of May 2nd, 2004 on the site of the electoral Court of Panamá

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