Politics of Namibia
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Alan Liefting
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General clean up., Replaced: Natural environment → environment (biophysical) using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]]
{{Politics of Namibia}}
'''Politics of Namibia''' takes place in a framework of a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Namibia]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a pluriform [[multi-party system]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and the two chambers of [[Parliament of Namibia|parliament]]. The [[Judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature.
==Constitution==
The Constituent Assembly of [[Namibia]] produced a constitution which established a [[multi-party]] system and a bill of rights. It also limited the executive president to two 5-year terms and provided for the private ownership of property. The three branches of government are subject to checks and balances, and a provision is made for judicial review. The constitution also states that Namibia should have a [[mixed economy]], and foreign investment should be encouraged.
While the ethnic-based three-tier [[South Africa]]n-imposed governing authorities have been dissolved, the current government pledged for the sake of national reconciliation to retain civil servants employed during the colonial period. The government is still organizing itself both on a national and regional level.
The [[Constituent Assembly]] converted itself into the National Assembly on [[February 16]], [[1990]], retaining all the members elected on a straight party ticket.
==Executive branch==
[[Image:Hifikepunye Pohamba 2005.jpg|left|thumb|[[Hifikepunye Pohamba]], President of Namibia]]
{{office-table}}
|[[President of Namibia|President]]
|[[Hifikepunye Pohamba]]
|[[South-West Africa People's Organisation|SWAPO]]
|[[21 March]] [[2005]]
|-
|[[Prime Minister of Namibia|Prime Minister]]
|[[Nahas Angula]]
|[[South-West Africa People's Organisation|SWAPO]]
|[[21 March]] [[2005]]
|}
The Namibian [[head of state]] is the [[president]], elected by popular vote every five years. The government is headed by the [[prime minister]], who, together with his [[cabinet]], is appointed by the president. SWAPO, the primary force behind independence is still currently the country's largest party.
==Legislative branch==
[[Parliament of Namibia|Parliament]] has [[bicameralism|two chambers]]. The [[National Assembly of Namibia|National Assembly]] has 78 members, elected for a five year term, 72 members elected by [[proportional representation]] and 6 members appointed by the president. The [[National Council of Namibia|National Council]] has 26 members, elected for a six year term in double-seat [[constituency|constituencies]] (regions). The Assembly is the primary [[legislative]] body, with the Council playing more of an advisory role. The [[1990]] [[constitution]] is noted for being one of the first to incorporate protection of the [[environment (biophysical)|environment]] into its text. Namibia is a democratic but [[one party dominant state]] with the [[South-West Africa People's Organisation]] in power. [[Opposition (politics)|Opposition]] [[political parties|parties]] are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.
==Judicial branch==
[[Image:Supreme Court of Namibia.JPG|thumb|right|150px|Supreme Court building in [[Windhoek]].]]
The highest [[judiciary|judicial]] body is the Supreme Court, whose judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission. The judicial structure in Namibia parallels that of South Africa. In 1919, [[Roman-Dutch law]] was declared the common law of the territory and remains so to the present.
==Political parties and elections==
{{elect|List of political parties in Namibia|Elections in Namibia}}
{{Namibian presidential election, 2004}}
{{Namibian parliamentary election, 2004}}
Elections were held in 1992, to elect members of 13 newly established Regional Councils, as well as new municipal officials. Two members from each Regional Council serve simultaneously as members of the National Council, the country's second house of Parliament. Nineteen of its members are from the ruling [[SWAPO]] party, and seven are from the [[Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia|Democratic Turnhalle Alliance]] (DTA). In December 1994, elections were held for the President and the [[National Assembly]].
Namibia has about 40 political groups, ranging from modern political parties to traditional groups based on tribal authority. Some represent single tribes or ethnic groups while others encompass several. Most participate in political alliances, some of which are multiracial, with frequently shifting membership.
[[SWAPO]] is the ruling party, and all but one of the new government's first cabinet posts went to SWAPO members. A [[Marxist]] oriented movement, SWAPO has become more pragmatic and now espouses the need for a mixed economy and Democracy. SWAPO has been a legal political party since its formation and was cautiously active in Namibia, although before implementation of the UN Plan, it was forbidden to hold meetings of more than 20 people, and its leadership was subject to frequent detention. SWAPO draws its strength principally, but not exclusively, from within the [[Ovambo]] tribe. In December 1976, the [[UN General Assembly]] recognized SWAPO as "the sole and authentic representative of the Namibian people," a characterization other internal parties did not accept.
In 1999 presidential and parliamentary elections, SWAPO continued its history of political dominance, taking 55 of the 72 Assembly seats, and returning President [[Sam Nujoma]] to the office for his third term. The principal opposition parties are the [[Congress of Democrats]] (CoD) and the [[Democratic Turnhalle Alliance]] (DTA), with each possessing seven seats in the [[National Assembly]].
==Administrative divisions==
Namibia is divided in 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
==International organization participation==
Namibia is member of
[[African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States|ACP]],
[[African Development Bank|AfDB]],
[[Commonwealth of Nations|C]],
[[Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]],
[[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]],
[[Group of 77|G-77]],
[[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]],
[[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]],
[[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]],
[[International Criminal Court|ICCt]],
[[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]],
[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]],
[[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]],
[[International Finance Corporation|IFC]],
[[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]],
[[International Labour Organization|ILO]],
[[International Monetary Fund|IMF]],
[[International Maritime Organization|IMO]],
[[International Criminal Police Organization|Interpol]],
[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]],
[[International Organization for Migration|IOM]] (observer),
[[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]] (correspondent),
[[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]],
[[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]],
[[Organization of African Unity|OAU]],
[[Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]],
[[Southern African Customs Union|SACU]],
[[Southern African Development Community|SADC]],
[[United Nations|UN]],
[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]],
[[United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization|UNESCO]],
[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]],
[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]],
[[United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea|UNMEE]],
[[Universal Postal Union|UPU]],
[[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]],
[[World Health Organization|WHO]],
[[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]],
[[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]],
[[World Tourism Organization|WToO]],
[[World Trade Organization|WTrO]]
{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}
[[Category:Politics of Namibia| ]]
[[af:Politiek van Namibië]]
[[de:Politisches System Namibias]]
[[fr:Politique de la Namibie]]
[[pt:Política da Namíbia]]