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Northern Mariana Islands

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the Northern Mariana Islands

Governor Benigno R. Fitial Legislature Political parties Elections: 2007

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Politics of the Northern Mariana Islands takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic system, whereby the Governor is head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. The Northern Mariana Islands are a commonwealth in political union with the United States. Federal funds to the Commonwealth are administered by the Office of Insular Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Local government is carried out through three regional mayors.

The Northern Mariana Islands and the United States reached a Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986. The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands became effective 1 January 1978.

Contents 1 Executive branch 2 Legislative branch 3 Political parties and elections 4 Judicial branch 5 International organization participation 6 Political Culture 7 External links

Main office holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
Governor	Benigno Fitial	Covenant Party	January 2006

The Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature has two chambers. The House of Representatives has 18 members, elected for a two year term in single-seat constituencies. The Senate has 9 members, elected for a two year term in single-seat constituencies. Furthermore the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress as the other United States insular areas do. Instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC who speaks for the Commonwealth on national issues.

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 5 November 2005 Northern Mariana Islands Gubernatorial election results

Candidates and nominating parties	Votes	%
Benigno R. Fitial - Covenant Party	3,809	28.1
Heinz Hofschneider - Independent	3,710	27.3
Juan Babauta - Republican Party	3,610	26.6
Froilan Tenorio - Democratic Party	2,442	18.0
Total	13,517

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Summary of the 3 November 2007 Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature election results

Parties	Seats
	House	Senate
Republican Party	12	—
Covenant Party	4	1
Independent	3	2
Democratic Party	1	—
Not up for election	—	6
Total	20	9
Source: Marianas Variety

Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC

Historically, the Northern Mariana Islands have been subject to the colonizing powers of Spain, Germany, Japan, and the United States under a United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Agreement. Each power contributed elements that mixed with local indigenous cultures to form the current political culture of the Northern Mariana Islands.

When United States citizenship was granted in 1986 to people who qualified as descendents of the Northern Marianas, few among the island's native population had been adequatley prepared for democracy. As a result, politics in the Northern Mariana Islands is often "more a function of family relationships and personal loyalities" where the size of one's extended family is more important than a candidate's personal qualifications. Both scholarly works and the authors of the controversial website Saipansucks.com charge that this is nepotism carried out within the trappings of democracy.[1][2].

• Food for Thought - Weekly CNMI political commentary by KZMI and KCNM manager Harry Blalock

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