Government and Politics of French Guiana

Government Type

NA

Administrative Divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Legal System

French legal system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON of France (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Thierry QUEFFELEC (since 2022) head of government: President of the Departmental Council Gabriel SERVILLE (since April 2021); President of the Regional Council Gabriel SERVILLE (since April 2021), who holds both roles following the merger of the two councils under French Guiana's unique institutional status as a single territorial collectivity cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the president of the Territorial Collectivity Assembly is elected by the members of that assembly. Note: since 2015, French Guiana has operated as a single territorial collectivity, replacing the former separate General Council and Regional Council with a unified Territorial Assembly.

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 in March 2000 (next to be held March 2006); Regional Council - last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - (second election results) percent of vote by party - PS 37.24%, UMP 31.58%, FDG/Walwari 31.18%; seats by party - PS 17, UMP 7, FDG/Walwari 7 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 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

Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Alix LABBE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Georges HABRAN-MERY]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Remi Louis DUBOC]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Head of State

President Nicolas SARKOZY

Head of Government

President of French Polynesia Gaston TONG SANG

Cabinet

Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers

Elections

French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

National Holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

International Organization Participation

WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

none (overseas department of France)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

none (overseas department of France)

Capital City

Cayenne

U.S. Embassy Paramaribo Drs. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo, Suriname Telephone: (597)-472-900 Emergency after-hours telephone: (597)-0710-1112 Facsimile: (597)-425-788 U.S. Embassy/Consular Section in Paris 4 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris (Place de La Concorde, metro stop Concorde) Telephone: (43)-12-22-22 Emergency after-hours telephone: (42)-61-61-40