Long-form name: Department of Reunion

Type: overseas department of France

Capital: Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Branches: administered by a prefect appointed by the French minister of interior, assisted by a secretary general and an elected 36-man General Council; in 1974 France created an elected 45-member Regional Assembly to coordinate economic and social development policies; in 1981 both the General Council and the Regional Council received greater authority for fiscal policy

Leader: @m5Chief of State President Francois Maurice MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); @m5Head of Government Commissioner of the Republic Jean ANCIAUX (since NA)

Suffrage: universal adult

Elections: last parliamentary election June 1981; last municipal and General Council elections in 1983; Regional Council election 16 March 1986

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR), Francois Mas; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Gilbert Gerard; Communist Party of Reunion (PCR); France-Reunion Future (FRA), Andre Thien Ah Koon; Socialist Party (PS), Jean-Claude Fruteau; Social Democrats (CDS), other small parties

Voting strength: (Regional Council election 16 March 1986) RPR/UDF 18 seats (36.8%), PCR 13 seats (28.2%), FRA and other right wing 8 seats (17.3%), PS 6 seats (14.1%), other no seats (3.6%)
French National Assembly--deputies: 2 PCR, 1 RPR, 1 UDF-CDS, 1 FRA; representatives 1 RPR-UDF, 1 PS, 1 independent

Communists: Communist party small but has support among sugarcane cutters, the minuscule Popular Movement for the Liberation of Reunion (MPLR), and in the district of Le Port

Member of: WFTU

Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France, Reunionese interests are represented in the US by France

Flag: the flag of France is used

NOTE: The information regarding Reunion on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Reunion Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Reunion Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.