GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The Union of Comoros is ruled by President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi. Comoros has
been plagued by political instability and civil strife following numerous coups
and secession attempts since independence from France in 1975. Former President
Azali seized power in a bloodless coup in April 1999, overthrowing interim
President Tadijiddine Ben Said Massounde, who himself had held the office since
the death of democratically elected President Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim in
November 1998. In May 1999, Azali decreed a constitution that gave him both
executive and legislative powers. When Azali took power he had pledged to step
down in 2000 and relinquish control to a democratically elected president.
Instead, in 2001, Azali resigned from the military and ran as a civilian
candidate for the national presidency. He was elected in 2002 in flawed but fair
elections.
On May 26, 2006, following a two-stage electoral process that was generally free
and fair, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi was installed as the new President of the
Union of the Comoros. The inauguration of President Sambi in June 2006 marked
the first democratic transition of power in Comoran history. In June 2007,
individual island elections on Grande Comore and Moheli were held on schedule
and judged to have been free and fair. On the Anjouan, however, island president
Bacar refused to allow an impartial process and instead held a sham election in
which he won 90% of the vote. The African Union (AU) has stepped in to assist in
resolving the political crisis, including applying sanctions and a naval
blockade on Anjouan, but the situation remains at an impasse.
Principal Government Officials
President--Ahmed Abdallah Sambi
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Ahmed Ben Said Jaffar
Ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations--Mahamed Toihiri
Comoros maintains a mission to the United States at 336 E. 45th St., 2d floor, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-750-1637).
Type: Republic.
Independence: July 6, 1975 (Mayotte remains under French administration).
Constitution: Adopted by referendum on December 23, 2001.
Branches: Executive--national president; regional island presidents. Legislative--National Assembly. Judicial--traditional Muslim and codified law from French sources.
Political parties: 17 political parties.
Suffrage: Universal adult.
