Angola: Constitution

Updated November 2005

CONSTITUTION	The Constitution of Angola came into force on November 11, 1975. Amended: January 7, 1978, August 11, 1980, March 6, 1991 and August 26, 1992 [1].
FORM OF STATE	Republic [2].
HEAD OF STATE	The President of the Republic is the Head of State, Head of Government and the Commander in Chief of the Angolan armed forces [3]. The President is directly elected by an absolute majority in a secret, universal, adult ballot [4]. The president is eligible for election for two five year terms [5].
EXECUTIVE	The President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers form the Executive. The Prime Minister is appointed by the president in consultation with the parties in the legislature, and may be dismissed by the president in consultation with the Council of the Republic, an advisory body [6]. Ministers are appointed by presidential decree and together with the Prime Minister and the President form the Council of Ministers [7].
LEGISLATURE	A unicameral parliament with a four year term. The National Assembly has 223 seats elected by proportional representation; 130 members are elected nationally, 3 by Angolans living abroad and 5 each of by the 18 provinces[8]. The President may prematurely dissolve the National Assembly after consultation with the Prime Minister, the President of the National Assembly and the Council of the Republic [9].
JUDICIARY	The judiciary consists of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, Provincial courts, Municipal courts and military courts [10]. The Constitutional Court is composed of seven judges, 3 nominated by the President, including the President of the Court, 3 elected by the National Assembly by a two-thirds majority, 1 elected by the Supreme Court. Members serve a non-renewable seven-year term [11]. The organisation, composition and competence of the courts are established by law. Judges are independent in the discharge of their functions [12].
AMENDMENTS	Amendment of the Constitution may be made by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly; amendments must be in compliance with fundamental principles [13].

Table notes

[1] Constitutional Law 1992.
[2] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 1.
[3] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 56.
[4] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 57.
[5] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 59.
[6] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 66, 75.
[7] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 106, 108.
[8] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 79.
[9] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 66(e).
[10] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 125.
[11] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 135. In the absence of a duly constituted Constitutional Court, a constitutional amendment, Law No 12/91 (1991, Article 6), enables the Supreme Court to perform its functions.
[12] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 125.
[13] Constitutional Law 1992, Article 158, 159.

References

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA, 1992, [www] http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/AO/angconst [opens new window] (accessed 30 May 2008).

LAW NO 12/91 OF 6 MAY 1991 [www] http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/docs/angola.pdf [PDF, opens new window] (accessed 30 May 2008).