President



Politics of Nicaragua takes place in a framework of a presidential representative

Summary of the 5 November 2006 Nicaragua National Assembly election results
Parties	Votes	%	Seats
Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional)	840,851	37,59	38
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance (Alianza Liberal Nicaragüense )	597,709	26,72	23
Constitutionalist Liberal Party (Partido Liberal Constitucionalista)	592,118	26.47	25
Sandinista Renovation Movement (Movimiento de Renovación Sandinista)	194,416	8.69	5
Alternative for Change (Alternativa por el Cambio)	12,053	0.54	-
Total (turnout %)		100.0	92
Source: Elecciones 2006, 91.6 % counted (?). The seats are from IFES

democratic republic, whereby the President of Nicaragua is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Constitution

In 1995, the executive and legislative branches negotiated a reform of the 1987 Sandinista constitution which gave extensive new powers and independence to the National Assembly, including permitting the Assembly to override a presidential veto with a simple majority vote and eliminating the president's ability to pocket veto a bill. Both the president and the members of the unicameral National Assembly are elected to concurrent five-year terms.

Legislative branch

The National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) consists of 90 deputies elected from party lists drawn at the department and national level, plus the outgoing president and the runner-up in the presidential race, for a total of 92. In the 2001 elections, the PLC and its allies won 52 seats, the FSLN won 37 seats, and the Conservative Party 1 seat. In addition, ex-president Arnoldo Alemán assumed a seat, as did runner-up Daniel Ortega. During the 2002 legislative term, Alemán would have served as President of the National Assembly, however, he and other members of his family were charged with corruption in December 2002, and on 7 December 2003 he was sentenced to a 20-year prison term for a string of crimes including money laundering, embezzlement and corruption.

Political parties and elections

Judicial branch

The Supreme Court supervises the functioning of the still largely ineffective and overburdened judicial system. As part of the 1995 constitutional reforms, the independence of the Supreme Court was strengthened by increasing the number of magistrates from 9 to 12. In 2000, the number of Supreme Court Justices was increased to 16. Supreme Court justices are nominated by the political parties and elected to 5-year terms by the National Assembly.

Electoral branch

Led by a council of seven magistrates, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) is the co-equal branch of government responsible for organizing and conducting elections, plebiscites, and referendums. The magistrates and their alternates are elected to 5-year terms by the National Assembly. Constitutional changes in 2000 expanded the number of CSE magistrates from five to seven and gave the PLC and the FSLN a freer hand to name party activists to the council, prompting allegations that both parties were politicizing electoral institutions and processes and excluding smaller political parties.