Official name

République du Sénégal

Form of state

Unitary republic

Legal system

Based on the Napoleonic Code and the constitution of January 2001

National legislature

National Assembly, with 150 members elected for five years by universal suffrage in a mixed system of first-past-the-post and proportional representation

Head of state

President, elected by universal suffrage, currently serves a five-year term of office and may stand for re-election once

National elections

February 2007 (presidential); June 2007 (legislative); next elections due in 2012

National government

The president and his Council of Ministers

Main political parties

Parti démocratique sénégalais (PDS, the dominant party in the National Assembly); Alliance des forces de progrès (AFP); Parti socialiste (PS); Union pour le renouveau démocratique (URD); And-Jëf/Parti africain pour la démocratie et le socialisme (AJ/PADS); Parti de l'indépendance et du travail (PIT); Ligue démocratique (LD); Rewmi; Alliance pour la République-Yaakaar (Alliance for the Republic-Hope)

President: Abdoulaye Wade

Prime minister: Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye

Ministers of state

Armed forces: Bécaye Diop

Civil service & employment: Habib Sy

Economy & finance: Abdoulaye Diop

Environment: Djibo Leïty Kâ

Family, women's organisations & early childhood: Ndèye Khady Diop

Foreign affairs: Madické Niang

Housing, construction & sanitation: Oumar Sarr

Interior: Ousmane Ngom

International co-operation, air transport, infrastructure & energy: Karim Wade

Justice: Cheikh Tidiane Sy

Labour & professional organisations: Innocence Ntap

Mines, industry, agribusiness & SMEs: Abdoulaye Baldé

Key ministers

Agriculture: Khadim Guèye

Crafts, tourism & the private & informal sectors: Thierno Lô

Communications & telecommunications: Moustapha Guirassy

Fishing & maritime economy: Khouraïssi Thiam

Health & prevention: Modou Diagne Fada

Land & rail transport & territorial development: Nafy Diouf Ngom

Livestock: Oumou Khairy Guèye Seck

Pre-school & primary education: Kalidou Diallo

Renewable energy: Louis Seck

Secondary education, universities & research: Amadou Tidiane Bâ

Technology, information & communication: Fatou Blondin Ndiaye Diop

Trade: Amadou Niang

Governor of the regional central bank (BCEAO)

Jean-Baptiste Compaoré (interim)