Government and Politics of Niger

Government Type

republic

Administrative Divisions

7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Legal System

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Niger dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative Branch

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 25, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, PSDN 1

Judicial Branch

State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political Parties

Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN [leader NA]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma'a [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Progressive Party or PPN-RDA [Abdoulaye DIORI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

Head of State

Salou DJIBO, chairman of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, and a leader of the military coup that deposed President Mamadou TANDJA

Head of Government

Prime Minister Mahamadou Danda

Cabinet

26-member Cabinet appointed by the president (Cabinet dissolved following the 18 February 2010 coup)

Elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held on 4 December 2004 (no presidential election currently scheduled)

Election Results

Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Constitution

the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999

Independence

3 August 1960 (from France)

National Holiday

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

International Organization Participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MICAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Fatima Djibo SIDIKOU chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires John DAVISON embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46

Capital City

Niamey

Location

13 31 N, 2 07 E

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

according to tradition, the site was originally a fishing village named after a prominent local tree referred to as "nia niam"

Embassy Niamey Address: The U.S. Embassy is located on Rue des Ambassades, Niamey, Niger. The U.S. Embassy's mailing address is B.P. 11201, Niamey, Niger. Telephone: 227-20-72-26-61 through 64 Emergency after-hours telephone: 227-20-72-31-41 Facsimile: 227- 20-73-31-67 or 20-72-31-46

Military Branches

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger)

Service Age and Obligation

18 is the presumed legal minimum age for compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care