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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Laos
Index
The president of the country is elected by a two-thirds
vote of
the National Assembly for a term of five years. One
surprising
constitutional provision transforms the presidency from a
ceremonial position into an important political power. The
president appoints and can dismiss the prime minister and
members
of the government, with the approval of the National
Assembly--
parliamentary responsibility that has not yet occurred in
the short
life of the current constitutional regime. He also
presides over
meetings of the government, "when necessary," and appoints
and
dismisses provincial governors and mayors of
municipalities as well
as generals of the armed forces, upon the recommendation
of the
prime minister. In addition, the president receives and
appoints
ambassadors and declares states of emergency or war.
The powers accorded to the president grew perceptively
during
the drafting process of the constitution, but the sudden
death of
Kaysone, who had moved from prime minister to state
president after
the promulgation of the constitution, temporarily
introduced doubts
regarding the relative power potential of the two offices.
Nonetheless, the president of state heads the armed forces
and has
the right and duty to promulgate laws and issue decrees
and state
acts.
The primary organization for administration is the
government,
which consists of the prime minister--its head--and deputy
prime
ministers, ministers, and chairs of ministry-equivalent
state
committees. The prime minister, appointed by the president
with the
approval of the National Assembly, serves a five-year
term. Duties
of this office include the guidance and supervision of the
work of
government ministries and committees, as well as of the
governors
of provinces and mayors of municipalities. The prime
minister
appoints all the deputies at these levels of government,
as well as
the local district chiefs
(see
fig. 9).
Data as of July 1994
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