Northern Mariana Islands Government

The political system of the Northern Marianas Islands is considered a presidential democratic republic. The nation is considered a commonwealth of the United States with relative autonomy on domestic issues. The Governor of the Northern Marianas Islands is the official name of the head of government. Executive power is held by the governor and legislative power is vested in the parliament of the country. A Covenant Agreement was reached between the United States of America and the Northern Marianas Islands which supplies the islands with financial aid and protection if needed.

Elections in the nation take place every two years in the Northern Marianas Islands. Election results usually see two or three political parties gaining seats in parliament. Many residents of the country had been subjected to colonial rule from nations such as Germany, Spain, and Japan and were not prepared for democracy when the first elections were held in the 1980s. Local government is carried out by three mayors who have jurisdiction over the three major regions of the country. The political system of the Northern Marianas Islands is considered a presidential democratic republic. The nation is considered a commonwealth of the United States with relative autonomy on domestic issues.

The parliamentary chambers of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature are known as the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives has 20 members and the Senate has nine. Before 2009, the country had a sitting representative in Washington D.C but now has a non-voting delegate to the United States Congress. The parliament of the Northern Marianas Islands is located in the capital city of Saipan in the Capitol Hill suburb. The constitution of the country, enacted in 1978, provides the framework for the political process.

The Northern Mariana Islands has a multi-party system, with the major parties being the Covenant Party, the Democratic Party, the Reform Party, and the Republican Party.