Tagged: Andorra

According to Petsinclude, the government of Andorra is a parliamentary democracy with two co-princes, the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell. The current Prime Minister is Xavier Espot Zamora, who was appointed in 2019. The country is divided into seven parishes for local administration. The national legislature is the unicameral General Council of the Valleys, which consists of 28 members elected by direct universal suffrage for a four-year term. The executive branch consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the co-princes on recommendation from Parliament. The judicial branch consists of numerous courts including Supreme Court and Constitutional Court as well as local courts in each parish. Judges are appointed by the co-princes on recommendation from an independent commission. The Constitution provides for an independent election commission to oversee elections and ensure they meet international standards for free and fair elections. Andorra has held several free and fair elections since 1993 including parliamentary elections in 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2015 as well as municipal elections in 2015 and 2019. Andorra, a small country located in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, is an important regional player in international relations. It is a member of the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), Council of Europe (CoE) and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The primary focus of Andorran foreign policy has been to strengthen ties with neighbouring countries such as France and Spain as well as other European countries. Andorra enjoys strong diplomatic relations with both France and Spain, which are its two closest neighbours. This includes bilateral agreements such as the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1993, which covers areas such as taxation, environment, culture and financial services. Additionally, Andorra also maintains close ties with other European states through its membership in the EU and CoE. In recent years Andorra has sought to expand its diplomatic relations beyond Europe by establishing embassies in various countries around the world such as China, India & Brazil. Additionally, it has signed several trade agreements with non-European countries aimed at increasing bilateral trade & investment flows. Andorra is also a member of several international organizations including the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which seeks to promote peace & stability among developing nations around the world. Additionally, it is an active participant of various multilateral forums such as G20 & G7 summits where it has sought to promote its interests on issues related to global economic development & security. Finally, Andorra also maintains close ties with other small nations through membership in organizations such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG). Through these organizations Andorra has sought to share experiences & best practices on economic development among small states while also promoting their interests at global level. See relationshipsplus for Andorra defense and foreign policy.