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The conventional
short form for the country's name is Greece (Ellas or Ellada ). Its
conventional long form name is Hellenic Republic (Elliniki Dimocratia)
and its capital is Athens.
Since the Constitution signed the 11th June of 1975 (amended in March
1986), after the military junta, the re-built democratic Greek system
is working like a parliamentary republic with a president at the head
of the state.
The actual head of government (since 19 January 1996) is the Prime
Minister Kostas Karamanlis and the chief of state is the President
Konstandinos Stephanopoulos (since 10 March 1995); both are members
of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).
The president is elected by Parliament for a five-year term; he is
appointing the prime minister. |
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The Cabinet is
appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.
The legal system is based on a codified Roman law and is judiciary
divided into civil, criminal and administrative courts. Greece is
administratively divided into 51 prefectures (nomoi-nomos) and one
autonomous region called the Ayion Oros, on the Mt. Athos (directed
by the monks of the monastery and forbidden for the women to penetrate
it).
Legislative power is hold by the unicameral Parliament called "Vouli
ton Ellinon", of 300 seats, which members are elected for a four-year
terms by direct popular vote (suffrage is universal and compulsory
from the age of 18 years).
Supreme Judicial Court and Special Supreme Tribunal are formed by
judges appointed for life by the president after he has consulted
a judicial council.
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The
other political parties of Greece are the Coalition of the Left and
Progress (Synaspismos), the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Democratic
Social Movement (DIKKI), the Liberal Party, the New Democracy (ND-
conservative party), Political Spring and Rainbow Coalition.
In terms of international disputes, Greece's major problem is Turkey
with which territorial, maritime complex and air disputes are very
frequent, and the Cyprus question does not ameliorate the situation.
The other big international dispute is the Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, dispute which concerns its name.
Greece is part of many International organizations of which NATO (since
1952) and EU (since 1981).
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