Government & politics — Eritrea
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 Eritrea: State of Eritrea
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Identity & names
- Full Country Name
State of Eritrea
- Country Name
Eritrea
- Local - Long
Hagere Ertra
- Local - Short
Ertra
- Former Name
Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
- Etymology- history of name
Tthe country name derives from the ancient Greek appellation "Erythra Thalassa" meaning Red Sea, which is the major water body bordering the country
- Independence
24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
- National Holiday
Independence Day, 24 May (1991)
Political system
- Government Type
Presidential republic
- Constitution
- History: ratified by the Co
- nstituent Assembly 23 May 1997 (never implemented) Amendments: proposed by the president of Eritrea or by assent of at least one half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least an initial three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and, after one year, final passage by at least four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly
- Legal System:
Mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law
- Executive Branch:
- Chief of State: President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 24 May 1993); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government and is head
- President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 8 June 1993) Cabinet: St
- ate Council appointed by the president Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term), according to the constitution; the only election held was on 24 May 1993, following independence
- from Ethiopia (next postponed indefinitely) Election results: 1993: ISAIAS Afwerki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afwerki (PFDJ) 95%, other 5%
- Legislative Branch:
Description
Unicameral National Assembly (Hagerawi Baito) (150 seats; 75 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 75 members indirectly elected by the ruling party; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections
- in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to form a National Assembly were held
- although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters
- National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely due to the war with Ethiopia, and as of 2023, there was no sitting legislative body
Election Results
NA
- Judicial Branch:
- Highest court(s): High Court (consists of 20 judges and organized into civil, commercial, criminal, labor, administrative,
- and customary sections) Judge selection and term of office: Hi
- gh Court judges appointed by the president Subordinate courts: regional/zonal courts; community courts; special courts; sharia courts (for issues dealing with Muslim marriage, inheritance, and family); military courts
- Regions or States:
6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); 'Anseba, Debub (South), Debubawi K'eyyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash-Barka, Ma'ikel (Central), Semienawi K'eyyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)
- Political Parties and Leaders:
- People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS Afwerki] (the only party recognized by the government)
- Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
- Citizenship Criteria:
- No Citizenship by descent only: At least one pa
- No Residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years
Capital & time
- Capital Name
Asmara
- Capital - geographic coordinate
15 20 N, 38 56 E
- Capital Time Difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
International role
- International Organization Participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO
- 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); Chargé d'Affaires Leslie FRERIKSEN (since 18 July 2022) Embassy: 179 Alaa Street, Asmara Mailing address: 7170 Asmara Place, Washington DC 20521-7170
Telephone
[291] (1) 12-00-04
FAX
[291] (1) 12-75-84
Email address and website
- consularasmara@state.gov
- https://er.usembassy.gov/
- Diplomatic Representation in the US:
Chief of Mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Berhane Gebrehiwet SOLOMON (since 15 March 2011)
Chancery
1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Telephone
[1] (202) 319-1991
FAX
[1] (202) 319-1304
Email address and website
- embassyeritrea@embassyeritrea.org
- https://us.embassyeritrea.org/
