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Mauritius: Mauritius Government Profile

2013/08/18

The President of the Republic of Mauritius
 
President: Rajkeswur " Kailash" Purryag

Parliament chose its speaker, Rajkeswur Purryag, as president in July 2012 next the resignation of Anerood JugnauthPrime minister: Navin Ramgoolam

Navin Ramgoolam Navin Ramgoolam has been PM since 2005
Former Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam of the Social Alliance returned to power next defeating Paul Berenger of the Mauritian Militant Movement in elections in July 2005.
 
The ruling alliance, which included Mr Ramgoolam's Labour Party and the Militant Socialist Movement, was re-elected in a closely fought vote in 2010, defeating the Mauritian Militant Movement led by Mr Berenger.
 
Born in 1947, Mr Ramgoolam served as prime minister between 1995 and 2000. He is a doctor and lawyer.
The ruling coalition shrank in August 2011 at the same time as the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) leader Pravind Jugnauth said his party was presently in opposition. Six ministers from the party had quit in turmoil against the arrest of the health minister by an anti-corruption watchdog.
 

 

The Mauritian government is parliamentary, with executive power vested under the constitution in a ceremonial president and an executive prime minister, who is leader of the majority party in parliament. The president and vice president are elected by the National Assembly, to serve five-year terms. The prime minister heads a Council of Ministers, which is responsible to a unicameral Legislative Assembly. Of its maximal 70 members, 62 are elected by universal suffrage (age 18), and as many as eight "best losers" are chosen from runners-up by the Electoral Supervisory Commission by a formula designed to give at least minimal representation to all ethnic groups and underrepresented parties.
In elections last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held 2007), Karl Offmann was elected president and Raouf Bundhun elected vice president. Parliamentary elections were held 11 September 2000 with new elections due in September 2005.
Government type: 

parliamentary democracy

Administrative divisions: 

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence: 

12 March 1968 (from the UK)

National holiday: 

Independence Day, 12 March

Constitution: 

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system: 

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage: 

18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: 

unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 5 May 2010 (next to be held in 2015) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AF 41, MMM 18, MR 2, MSF 1; appointed seats - to be assigned 8

Judicial branch: 

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders : 

Alliance of the Future or AF [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition - includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD); Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER]; Mauritian Militant Socialist Movement or MMSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH]; Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MSMM [Madan DULLOO]; Mauritian Solidarity Front [Cehl FAKEERMEEAH]; Mouvement Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN]; Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders: 

other: various labor unions

International organization participation: 

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Flag description: 

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green; red represents the blood shed for independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island

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