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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 Liberia: Republic of Liberia

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Identity & names

Full Country Name

Republic of Liberia

Country Name

Liberia

Etymology- history of name

name derives from the Latin word "liber" meaning "free"; so named because the nation was created as a homeland for liberated African-American slaves

Independence

26 July 1847

National Holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Political system

Government Type

presidential republic

Constitution
  • history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984,
  • effective 6 January 1986 amendments: proposed by agreement of at least two thirds of both National Assembly houses or by petition of at least 10,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval of both houses and approval in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of registered voters; amended 2011, 2020
Legal System:

mixed legal system of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law

Executive Branch:
  • chief of state: President Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024); Vice President Jeremiah KUONG (since 22 January 2024); note - the president is
  • both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024);
  • Vice President Jeremiah KUONG (since 22 January 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president,
  • confirmed by the Senate elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 October 2023 with a runoff on 14 Nov
  • ember 2023 (next to be held in October 2029) election results: 2023: Joseph BOAKAI elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (CDC) 43.8%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 43.4%, Edward APPLETON (GDM) 2.2%, Lusinee KAMARA (ALCOP) 2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS, Jr. (CPP) 1.6%, Tiawan Saye GONGLOE (LPP) 1.4%, other 5.6%; percentage of vote in second round - Joseph BOAKAI 50.6%, George WEAH 49.4%
Legislative Branch:

Description

bicameral National Assembly consists of: The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election) House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term)

Elections

Senate - general election held on 10 October 2023 with half the seats up for election (next to be held on 9 October 2029) House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2023 (next to be held 9 October 2029)

Election Results

  • - Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 43.3%, Congress for Democratic Change 16.6%, People's Unification Party 6.6%, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 3.3%, National Democratic Coalition 3.3%, National Patriotic Party 3.3%, Independent 23.3%
  • seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1, NPP 1, Independent 7;

Composition

  • men 27, women 3, percent of women 11% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 28.7%, Unity Party 27.3%, People's Unification Party 6.8%, Liberty Party 4.1%, Americo Liberian Party 4.1%, Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction 4.1%, Movement for Economic Empowerment 1.3%, Liberia Transformation Party 1.3%, United People's Party 1.3%, Victory for Change Party 1.3%, Liberian People's Party 1.3%, Liberia National Union 1.3%, Independent 17.8%
  • seats by coalition/party - CDC 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 3, MOVEE 1, LTP 1, UPP 1, VCP 1, LPP 1, LNU 1, Independent 13;

Composition

  • men 66, women 7, percent of women 9.5%
  • total Parliament percent of women 9.7%
Judicial Branch:
  • highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 4 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction fo
  • r all constitutional cases judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate;
  • judges can serve until age 70 subordinate courts: judicial circuit courts; special courts, including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts
Regions or States:

15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Political Parties and Leaders:
  • All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoni UREY]
  • Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [vacant]
  • Alternative National Congress or ANC [Alexander B. CUMMINGS, JR]
  • Coalition for Democratic Change [George WEAH] (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP)
  • Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]
  • Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES]
  • Liberia National Union or LINU [Dr. Clarence K. MONIBA]
  • Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Kennedy SANDY]
  • Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER]
  • Liberian People's Party or LPP [Henry FAHNBULLEH, JR]
  • Liberty Party or LP [Charles Brumskine]
  • Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON]
  • Movement for Economic Empowerment [Joseph JONES]
  • Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN]
  • National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON]
  • National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH]
  • National Patriotic Party or NPP [Jewel HOWARD TAYLOR]
  • National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE]
  • National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY]
  • People's Unification Party or PUP [Isobe GBORKORKOLLIE]
  • Unity Party or UP [Josephe BOAKAI]
  • United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO]
  • Victory for Change Party or VCP [Marcus R. JONES]
Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:
  • no citizenship by descent only: at least one pa
  • no residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years

Capital & time

Capital Name

Monrovia

Capital - geographic coordinate

6 18 N, 10 48 W

Capital Time Difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

International role

International Organization Participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant) Charges d'Affairs Catherine RODRIGUEZ (since 11 August 2023) embassy: 502 Benson Street, Monrovia mailing address: 8800 Monrovia Place, Washington DC 20521-8800

telephone

[231] 77-677-7000

FAX

[231] 77-677-7370

Email address and website

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

chief of mission

Ambassador Jeff Gongoer DOWANA, Sr. (since 12 December 2022)

chancery

5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone

[1] (202) 723-0437

FAX

[1] (202) 723-0436

Email address and website

consulate(s) general

New York

More about Liberia

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