Government & politics — Bahamas
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Government & politics at a glance
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations. Key figure for Bahamas: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
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Identity & names
- Full Country Name
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
- Country Name
The Bahamas
- Etymology- history of name
name derives from the Spanish "baha mar," meaning "shallow sea," which describes the shallow waters of the Bahama Banks
- Independence
10 July 1973 (from the UK)
- National Holiday
Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Political system
- Government Type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
- Constitution
- history: previous 1964 (preindependence); latest adopted 20 June 1973,
- effective 10 July 1973 amendments: proposed as an "Act" by Parliament; passage of amendments to articles such as the organization and composition of the branches of government requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of the membership of both houses of Parliament and majority approval in a referendum; passage of amendments to constitutional articles such as fundamental rights and individual freedoms, the powers, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, or changes to the Bahamas Independence Act 1973 requires approval by at least three-fourths majority of the membership of both houses and majority approval in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2016
- Legal System:
common law system based on the English model
- Executive Branch:
- chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Cynt
- hia A. PRATT (since 1 September 2023) previous chief of state: Queen ELIZABE
- Prime Minister Philip DAVIS (since 17 September 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor-gener
- al on recommendation of prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
- Legislative Branch:
Description
bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor-general - 9 selected on the advice of the prime minister, 4 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party, and 3 on the advice of the prime minister in consultation with the opposition leader; members serve 5-year terms) House of Assembly (39 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections
Senate - last appointments on 24 May 2017 (next appointments in 2022) House of Assembly - last held on 16 September 2021 (next to be held by September 2026)
Election Results
- Senate - appointed
- composition as of August 2023 - men 12, women 4, percent of women 25% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, FNM 36.2%
- seats by party - PLP 32, FNM 7
- composition as of August 2023 - men 32, women 7, percent of women 18%;
Note
total Parliament percent of women 20%
Note
the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time
- Judicial Branch:
- highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices, organized in 3-member panels); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and a maximum of 11 an
- d a minimum of 2 justices) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister after consultation with the leader of the opposition party; other Court of Appeal and Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body headed by the chief justice; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 68 but can be extended until age 70; Supreme Court justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally
- at age 65 but can be extended until age 67 subordinate courts: Industrial Tribunal; Stipendiary and Magistrates' Courts;
- Family Island Administrators note: The Bahamas is a member of the 15-member Caribbean Community but is not party to the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice as its highest appellate court; the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal for The Bahamas
- Regions or States:
Summary
31 districts Acklins Islands, Berry Islands, Bimini, Black Point, Cat Island, Central Abaco, Central Andros, Central Eleuthera, City
Regions or States
- of Freeport
- Crooked Island and Long Cay
- East Grand Bahama
- Exuma
- Grand Cay
- Harbour Island
- Hope Town
- Inagua
- Long Island
- Mangrove Cay
- Mayaguana
- Moore's Island
- North Abaco
- North Andros
- North Eleuthera
- Ragged Island
- Rum Cay
- San Salvador
- South Abaco
- South Andros
- South Eleuthera
- Spanish Wells
- West Grand Bahama
- Political Parties and Leaders:
- Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Arinthia KOMOLAFE]
- Free National Movement or FNM [Michael PINTARD]
- Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Philip "Brave" DAVIS]
- Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
- Citizenship Criteria:
- no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent
- no residency requirement for naturalization: 6-9 years
Capital & time
- Capital Name
Nassau
- Capital - geographic coordinate
25 05 N, 77 21 W
- Capital Time Difference
UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
- Daylight Savings Time
+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
International role
- International Organization Participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
- International Law Organization Participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
- Diplomatic Representation from US:
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Usha E. PITTS (since 1 January 2021) embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370
telephone
[1] (242) 322-1181
FAX
[1] (242) 356-7174
Email address and website
- acsnassau@state.gov
- https://bs.usembassy.gov/
- Diplomatic Representation in the US:
chief of mission
Ambassador Wendall Kermith JONES (since 19 April 2022)
chancery
600 New Hampshire Ave NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20037
telephone
[1] (202) 319-2660
FAX
[1] (202) 319-2668
Email address and website
- embassy@bahamasembdc.org
- https://www.bahamasembdc.org/
consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Miami, New York, Washington, DC