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Andorra

Landlocked country in the east Pyrenees, bounded north by France and south by Spain.

Government

Under the 1993 constitution, Andorra is described as an independent, democratic, ‘parliamentary’ co-principality, with full sovereignty in the hands of the people, but retaining the Spanish and French co-princes (the bishop of Urgel in Spain and the president of France respectively) as joint heads of state with reduced, constitutionally defined, powers. The co-princes are represented by permanent delegates, the vicar general of the Urgel diocese, and the prefect of the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales. There is a 28-member, unicameral assembly, the General Council of the Valleys, to which 14 members are elected on a national list and 14 in seven dual-member constituencies (parishes). There is an Executive Council headed by a president, who is prime minister on the basis of support in the assembly.

History

Co-princes have ruled Andorra since 1278.

Until 1970 only third-generation Andorran males had the vote; now the franchise extends to all first-generation Andorrans of foreign parentage aged 28 or over. The electorate is small in relation to the total population, up to 70% of which consists of foreign residents, who are demanding political and nationality rights. Immigration, controlled by a quota system, is restricted to French and Spanish nationals intending to work in Andorra.

Prior to 1993 the country had no formal constitution and all motions and proposals had to be submitted to the permanent delegates (representatives of the joint heads of state) for approval.

Emergence of democracy

A technically illegal political organization, the Democratic Party of Andorra (PDA), was founded in 1976, providing the basis for a future democratic system. Oscar Ribas Reig became the country's first prime minister in 1981, and in 1982 an Executive Council, headed by the prime minister, was appointed. This introduced a separation between legislative and executive powers. Formal links were established with the European Community in July 1991. A new constitution was adopted in May 1993, giving the country virtual independence apart from its external security, which remained the responsibility of France and Spain.

Democratic elections

The first direct elections were held in December 1993 and a coalition government formed under the prime minister, Oscar Ribas Reig. Andorra became a full member of the United Nations and the Council of Europe during 1994. Reig's Agrupament Nacional Democratic (AND; National Democratic Grouping) coalition lost the support of independents in December 1994 and Marc Forné Molné of the Partit Liberal Andorra' (PLA; Liberal Party of Andorra) replaced him, continuing in the post after the 1997 and 2001 general elections. In the 2005 elections, the PLA lost its overall majority, but held onto power, with Albert Pintat Santolaria at its head.

Andorra la Vella Cagnoni, Antonio Catalan language Council of Europe France

Frisch, Max Rudolf Gaztambide y Garbayo, Joaquín (Romualdo) Lleida (province) Pyrenees republic