The National Assembly is made up of 109 members elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms. Legislative elections were held in 1998; in contested results, the governmentís Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) won just over 50% control of the legislative body. Legislative elections were last held in spring 2005.

For administration purposes, the country is divided into 16 prefectures that are further divided into over 60 subprefectures; the commune of Bangui is administered separately. The president currently appoints heads of these administrative units, called "prefets" and "sous-prefets". There are 174 communes, each headed by a mayor and council appointed by the president. Suffrage is universal over the age of 21.

The judicial sector encompasses the Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Court of Appeals, criminal and civil courts, Labor Court, and Juvenile Court, although several of these courts have insufficient resources and trained personnel to operate on a regular basis. The Criminal Court of Bangui sits once or twice a year, usually for 1 or 2 months each session. Judges are appointed by the president; executive influence often impedes transparent handling of judicial affairs. Military courts exist but are currently only used to try military personnel for crimes committed in the course of duty. There are a limited number of formal courts currently functioning outside Bangui; traditional arbitration and negotiation play a major role in administering domestic, property, and probate law.

The Central African Republic has a vibrant civil society, with numerous professional, labor, and local development associations actively carrying out campaigns and gaining greater local and international credibility.

The C.A.R. Government's human rights record remains flawed. There are continued reports of arbitrary detainment, torture and, to a lesser degree, extra judicial killings. Journalists have occasionally been threatened, and prison conditions remain harsh.

Other Ministers
Minister of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fishing, and the Environment--Mr. Jean-Eudes TEYA
State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Francophony--Mr. Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE
State Minister of Equipment, Transport and Civil Aviation--Mr. Charles MASSI
Minister of Rural Development--Lieutenant-Colonel Parfait MBAY
Minister of Energy, Mines and Hydraulics--Major Sylvain NDOUTINGAI
Minister of Interior and Public Security--Lieutenant-Colonel Michel SALLE
Minister of Family, Social Affairs and National Solidarity--Mrs. Marie Solange PAGONENDJI NDAKALA
Minister of Civil Service, Labor, Social Security and Youth Integration--Mr. Jacques BOTI
Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture--Mr. DÈsirÈ KOLINGBA
Minister of Public Health and Population--Mrs. LÈa KOYASSOUM DOUMTA
Minister of Finance and Budget--Mr. ThÈodore DABANGA
Minister of Justice--Mr. Paul OTTO
Minister of National Education, Literacy, Higher Education and Research--Mr. TimolÈon MBAIKOUA
Minister of Economy, Plan and International Cooperation--Mr. Sylvain MALIKO
Minister of Commerce, Industry, Small- and Mid-Scale Companies--Mrs. Emilie BÈatrice EPAYE
Minister of Post, Telecommunications and New Technologies--Mr. FidËle NGOUANDJIKA
Minister of Communication, National Reconciliation, Democratic Culture and the Promotion of Human Rights--Mr. Job IZIMA
Minister of the Reconstruction of Public Buildings, City Planning and Housing--Mr. Bernard BONDA
Minister of the Governmentís Secretariat General and of Relations with the Parliament--Mr. DieudonnÈ Stanislas BANGO
Minister of the Development of Tourism and Handicraft--Mrs. Anne Marie NGOUYOMBO
Deputy Minister of Rural Development, in charge of Agriculture--Mr. Adamou MAHAMA
Deputy Minister of Finance and Budget--Mr. Nicolas NGANZE DOUKOU
Deputy Minister of National Education, in charge of Primary and Secondary Education--Mr. Aurelien Simplice NZINGAS
Deputy Minister of Equipment, Transport and Civil Aviation, in charge of Equipment--Mr. Jean-Prosper WODOBODE
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs--Mr. Laurent NGON BABA

Ambassador to the United States--Emmanuel Touaboy
Ambassador to the United Nations--Charge díAffaires Fernand Poukre-Kono

The Central African Republic maintains an embassy in the United States at 1618-22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC (tel: 202-483-7800/01, fax: 202-332-9893).