I talk about the government system of Cape Verde from executive to legislative and how elections work on the island nation.

1. March 16,
2020
The Government System of Cape/Cabo Verde
theweeklyrambler.com/the-government-system-of-cape-cabo-verde/
Cape Verde is a small chain-island
nation in the Central Atlantic Ocean
off the coast of North-West Africa, not
too far from African countries such as
Mauritania, Senegal and the Gambia.
The island-chain is made up of 10
volcanic islands. The capital city Praia
is located on the Southern coast of
Santiago island within the Sotavento
Islands group.
The islands were uninhabited until the
15th Century with the arrival of
Portuguese explorers who colonized
the islands and incorporated them
into their Empire, being the first
European settlement in the Tropics.
The islands grew prosperous during
the 16th and 17th Century due to its location being ideal for the Atlantic slave trade. The
end of the transatlantic slave trade in the 19th Century led to economic decline until it
eventually recovered by becoming an important commercial center and stopover for
shipping routes. The islands became an overseas department of Portugal in 1951 and
eventually got full independence in 1975.
The official language is Portuguese and a recognised national language is Cape Verdean
Creole. Its currency is the Cape Verdean escudo. The largest religion is Roman Catholic.
The country’s population is estimated to reach 583,255 by July 2020.
Government Type
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2. The country is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic with a President
and Prime Minister that leads and forms executive government and also a unicameral
parliament that makes up the legislative government. Multiple parties are allowed. The
island nation has been praised for being one of Africa’s most stable and fair
democracies.
Executive Government
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3. Cabo Verde Presidential Palace. Photo byJi-Elle from Wikimedia. License.
As said above there are two leaders that make up a part of the executive government
which is the President who is Head of State representing the country abroad and
overlooking the government as a whole and the Prime Minister who is Head of
Government.
The President has a number of executive powers at his/her disposal including the ability
to call national referendums. Referendums can also be called for by the government, by
the National Assembly or by popular initiative of at least 30,000 citizens.
The President must have consent from the National Assembly or if they are not in
session, consent from the Permanent Commission in order to be absent from the
national territory unless the absence is unofficial and less than 2-weeks in which instead
he must only give prior notification. The President can lose office for failing to comply
with these terms.
While the President is absent abroad or if the President has a temporary disability or if
there is temporary office vacancy then the President of the National Assembly will
become the temporary Head of State or if that position cannot then the First Vice-
President of the National Assembly will instead, they will have limited powers.
For crimes committed by the President the National Assembly can bring forth a petition
of at least one-fifth of members to consider requesting the Attorney General of the
Republic to investigate the President, the petition must be confirmed by a two-third vote.
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4. The President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces. The
President presides over the Superior Council of National Defense and Superior Council
of Honors.
The President dissolves the National Assembly ready for parliamentary elections.
Appoints the Prime Minister after parliamentary elections.
The President appoints the President of the Supreme Court of Justice from among the
Judges of that court after consultation with the Superior Council of Magistrates of which
the President also appoints two members of, note that the President of the Supreme
Court of Justice is also a member of this council. The President also appoints one judge
to the Supreme Court of Justice. The President will consult with the Supreme Court of
Justice on legal matters to do with treaties and referendums.
The President can also pardon and commute punishments, after consultation with the
government.
The President presides over the Council of the Republic and also appoints two of its
members. The President can consult with the Council of the Republic to request the
President of the National Assembly to call an extraordinary session of the parliament to
deal with matters. Note that the Council of the Republic is the President’s consultative
body, its members includes the President of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister,
the President of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Attorney-General of the Republic, the
President of the Regional Council, as well as two appointed by the President of the
Nation and two elected by the National Assembly.
The President appoints and dismisses members of the government upon the
nomination of the Prime Minister. Also appoints the Court of Accounts and the Attorney-
General upon nomination by the government.
Can declare martial law and state of emergency after consultation with the government
and consent from the National Assembly.
On international and foreign affairs the President ratifies international treaties and
agreements after they have had valid approval. Can declare war at the government’s
request after consent from the National Assembly or if it is not in session by its
Permanent Commission.
Also appoints and dismisses ambassadors, permanent representatives and special
envoys, upon nomination by the government.
The President promulgates law bills passed by parliament but can choose to veto them
within 30-days which it will then return to the National Assembly where if they pass it
with a majority of the members holding office then the President must promulgate it
within a week.
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5. The Prime Minister Heads the Executive Government and alongside the Prime Minister’s
governing Council of Ministers is responsible to the National Assembly and must keep
their confidence. There can be Vice Prime Ministers. Special Councils of Minister’s can be
formed for specific matters who are responsible to the Council of Minister’s and Prime
Minister, they can be presided over by the Prime Minister, a Vice Prime Minister or
relevant Minister. The Prime Minister nominates the governments members and
members of the Council of Ministers who are then appointed by the President, they can
also be dismissed by the President on advice of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister and his Government draw up their program, called the Government’s
Program which must be approved by the Council of Ministers and then by the National
Assembly, seen as a motion of confidence.
Legislative Government
The National Assembly is located in the capital city, Praia. (Photo in Public Domain)
The legislative government is made up of a unicameral parliament, a single chamber that
introduces, amends, passes or rejects law bills, motions and resolutions and also
approves the state’s budget. Law bills, motions and resolutions can be introduced by the
government, parliamentary groups and by members of parliament themselves through
commissions and relevant process. Private bills by parliamentary members or groups
cannot be money bills. Bills passed by parliament go on to the President of the Nation to
be promulgated.
The National Assembly can have a minimum of 66-members and a max of 72-members.
Citizens living abroad are also represented by 6 elected members. The President of the
National Assembly, the first and second Vice-President’s of the National Assembly and
two Secretaries are elected from among themselves after parliamentary elections. They
are elected by written nomination of at least 15 members but no more than 22
members. The two Vice-President’s must be from the opposing major parties, one from
each. These positions make up the Assembly’s Executive Board, its members cannot be
leaders of parliamentary groups or participate in any Special or Ad Hoc Commissions.
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6. The President of the National Assembly sets the agenda after consultation with the
Conference of Representatives of Parliamentary Groups and the President of the
National Assembly also moderates debate and makes sure the parliament’s rules/by-
laws are followed.
The National Assembly has a Permanent Commission which functions between sessions
of parliament and is made up of the President of the National Assembly, the First and
Second Vice-President’s of the National Assembly, the Executive Board Secretaries and
one representative from each parliamentary group. There are also Special Commissions
for various functions and Ad Hoc Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry can also be
constituted, these commissions (excluding the Permanent Commission) must
correspond to the representation of each party or political force in the National
Assembly.
The National Assembly can censure the government or hold a vote of confidence in the
government, if two motions of confidence give no-confidence to the government or if the
government is censured 4-times then the National Assembly will be dissolved and new
elections held.
The National Assembly also elects two members of the Council of the Republic. Elects
one Judge to the Supreme Court of Justice. Elects three members to the Superior Council
of Magistrates.
Electoral System
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7. Public Domain
Presidential elections are held every 5-years and uses a two-round system where if no
candidate gets more than 50% of the popular vote in the 1st round then a 2nd round is
held between the top two candidates which is won by simple majority.
Candidates for President must be a native-born citizen of Cabo Verde, be at least 35-
years-old and have been living in Cape Verde as a permanent resident for at least 3-
years. No candidate can hold public office. Candidates must be proposed by at least
1,000 voters and presented to the Supreme Court of Justice not later than 60-days before
the election date. One person can only serve President for two consecutive terms (10-
years) and then must wait 5-years before being eligible again. If someone who was
President but resigned from office wants to be President again they must first wait 10-
years from their resignation date.
Parliamentary elections for the unicameral parliament or National Assembly are held
every 5-years and it elects members from multi-seat constituencies using a party-list
proportional representation system utilizing the D’Hondt Method.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the President from the largest party after
parliamentary elections.
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8. To vote one must be a citizen of Cabo Verde and be at least 18-years or older. Voting is
not mandatory.
Sources
My sources are from the country’s 1980 constitution with amendments through to 1992
but it is understood that there were also approved amendments in 1995, 1999 and 2010
but information about it appears very scarce if existent at all and so in that case cross-
checking is strongly advised if this is being used in a serious manner and some parts may
be inaccurate or outdated. As always, there is also chance I may have misinterpreted
some parts and the constitution can of course be changed leading to this eventually
being outdated anyway.
Some information was obtained from Cabo Verde’s entry on the CIA World Factbook
website such as population and constitutional amendment process.
Constitutional amendment proposals require at least four-fifths of the National
Assembly to support it and amendment drafts require at least one-third support from
the National Assembly and passage must be approved by at least two-thirds of the
National Assembly.
Next up will be the government of the Central African Republic.
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