Politics of the Cook Islands
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Template:Politics of the Cook Islands This article lists details about the politics of the Cook Islands.
- Country name
-
- Conventional long form: None
- Conventional short form: Cook Islands
- Data code
- CW
- Dependency status
- Self-governing in free association with New Zealand (see Niue Constitution Act 1974 (NZ)); Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands
- Government type
- Self-governing parliamentary democracy
- Capital
- Avarua
- Administrative divisions
- None
- Independence
- None (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
- National holiday
- Constitution Day, 4 August (1965)
- Constitution
- 4 August 1965
- Legal system
- Based on New Zealand law and English common law
- Suffrage
- NA years of age; universal adult
- Executive branch
-
- Chief of state
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Queen's Representative Sir Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of New Zealand
- Head of government
- Prime Minister Dr. Terepai MAOATE (since 18 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Norman GEORGE (since NA)
- Cabinet
- Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament
- Elections
- None; the monarch is hereditary; her representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister
- Note
- Ten years of rule by the Cook Islands Party (CIP) came to an end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister Joe WILLIAMS; WILLIAMS had led a minority government since October 1999 when the New Alliance Party (NAP) left the government coalition and joined the main opposition Democratic Alliance Party (DAP); on 18 November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai MAOATE was sworn in as prime minister
- Legislative branch
- Unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
- Elections: Last held NA June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004)
- Election results: Percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1
- Note: The House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers
- Judicial branch
- High Court
- Political parties and leaders
- Cook Islands Party or CIP [Joe WILLIAMS]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [leader NA]
- International organization participation
- AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- None (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
- Diplomatic representation from the US
- None (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
- Flag description
- Blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
See also: Cook Islands