(overseas department of France)
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Department of Martinique
conventional short form:
Martinique
local long form:
Departement de la Martinique
local short form:
Martinique
Data code:
MB
Type of government:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Fort-de-France
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 (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA) was appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior
head of government:
President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Emile CAPGRAS (since 22 March 1992);
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Assembly
General Council:
elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total) number of seats by party NA; note - the PPM won a plurality
Regional Assembly:
elections last held on 22 March 1992 (next to be held by March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) RPR-UDF 16, MIM 9, PPM 9, PCM 5, independents 2
French Senate:
elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1
French National Assembly:
elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held NA June 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) RPR 2, UDF 1, PPM 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Alex URSULET; Union for a Martinique of Progress (UMP); Martinique Progressive Party (PPM), Aime CESAIRE; Socialist Federation of Martinique (FSM), Jean CRUSOL; Martinique Communist Party (PCM), George ERICHOT; Martinique Patriots (PM); Union for French Democracy (UDF), Miguel LAVENTURE; Martinique Independence Movement (MIM), Alfred MARIE-JEANNE; Republican Party (PR), Jean BAILLY
Other political or pressure groups:
Proletarian Action Group (GAP); Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist Revolution Group (GRS); Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC); Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc PULVAR; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Parti Martiniquais Socialiste (PMS); Association for the Protection of Martinique's Heritage (ecologist)
International organization participation:
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation:
none (overseas department of France)
Flag:
a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions
