Czechoslovakia Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (CSSR)

Type: Communist state

Capital: Prague

Political subdivisions. 2 ostensibly separate and nominally autonomous republics (Czech Socialist Republic and Slovak Socialist Republic); 7 regions (kraj) in Czech lands, 3 regions in Slovakia; republic capitals of Prague and Bratislava have regional status

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes, modified by Communist legal theory; revised constitution adopted 1960, and amended in 1968 and 1970; no judicial review of legislative acts; legal education at Charles University School of Law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May

Branches: executive—President (elected by Federal Assembly), Cabinet (appointed by President); legislative (Federal Assembly; elected directly—Chamber of Nations, Chamber of the People), Czech and Slovak National Councils (also elected directly) legislate on limited area of regional matters; judiciary. Supreme Court (elected by Federal Assembly); entire governmental structure dominated by Communist Party

Government leaders: Gustav HUSAK, President (since 1975); Lubomir STROUGAL, Premier (since 1970)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: governmental bodies and president every five years; last election June 1981

Dominant political party and leader: Com munist Party of Czechoslov akia (KSC), Gustav Husak, General Secretary (since 1969'; Communist Party of Slovakia (KSS) has status of provincial KSC “organization”

Voting strength: (1981 election) 99 96% for Communist-sponsored single slate

Communists: 1.6 million party members (August 1984)

Other political groups: puppet parties— Czechoslovak Socialist Party, Czechoslovak People’s Party, Slovak Freedom Party, Slovak Revival Party

Member of: CEMA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, ICAO, ICO, ILO, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, IMO, IPU, ISO, 1TC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

NOTE: The information regarding Czechoslovakia on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Czechoslovakia 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Czechoslovakia 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.