Equatorial guinea Government Profile 2012

Equatorial Guinea has a multiparty system of government with an executive president and a single-chamber legislature. Presidential elections are held every seven years and parliamentary elections every five years. In the latest presidential elections in November 2009, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, in power since 1979, won another term with 95% of the votes. The results were disputed by the opposition but have stood. In January 2010, President Nguema Mbasogo named a new cabinet, fulfilling a constitutional requirement to form a new government after a presidential election. The new cabinet, comprising 68 ministers and their deputies, was 50% larger in size than the previous cabinet. The ruling Partido Democrático de Guinea Ecuatorial (PDGE) has an overwhelming majority in parliament and in all 30 municipalities. The opposition has only 1 seat in the 100-seat parliament.

In November 2009, five mercenaries, jailed for plotting a coup in 2004, were granted presidential pardons, officially on humanitarian grounds, but also as a goodwill gesture towards South Africa following a visit by President Jacob Zuma. In February 2009, an assault was launched on the presidential palace in Malabo apparently by a group of foreign fighters. They were repulsed by the army and presidential guard. The army increased its presence in the streets until the situation returned to normal.

The government is perceived to be pursuing a more open-door policy to the rest of the world. As mentioned above, Equatorial Guinea will be co-hosting, with Gabon, the 2012 football African Cup of Nations. It will also be hosting the 2011 summit of the African Union. An Equatorial Guinea national now heads the BEAC.