The Government in Guinea

The country of Guinea is an emerging democracy. Guinea is a constitutional republic in which effective power is concentrated in a strong presidency that is also the head of state. Government administration is divided at several levels; eight regions, 33 prefectures, over 100 sub prefectures, and many districts (known as communes in Conakry and other large cities, and villages or “quartiers” in the interior). The president appoints all other levels of the highly centralized administration and district-level leaders are elected. The president also governs the country with the assistance of an appointed council of civilian ministers typically led by a prime minister.

In December 2003, the president, General Lansana Conte, easily won a third presidential term against a single, relatively unknown candidate which had trouble on his health. Despite medical evacuations in 2006, Conte insisted in a late 2006 interview that despite his health he would remain in office until his term ended in 2010. The country of Guinea held a nation-wide election for local and rural councils in December 2005. In preparation for the election the government maintained an open dialogue with the opposition parties, 16 of which participated in the elections. Opposition leaders were allowed to campaign freely, and were allowed equal access to government-run media.