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Eritrea

State of Eritrea

Civil law with customary lawSingle-party stateIndexed· 2026-08-03
Capital
Asmara
Population
3,700,000
Languages
Tigrinya, Arabic
Currency
ERN

Eritrea · Government

Government and administration in Eritrea

How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.

The three branches

Head of state — President
In office since independence in 1993; no election has been held.
Executive — State Council
Cabinet of ministers and regional administrators appointed by the President.
Legislature — National Assembly
Has not convened since 2002; legislation proceeds by proclamation.
Party — People's Front for Democracy and Justice
The sole legal political organisation.

How legislation is made

There is no functioning parliamentary process. Law is made by proclamation issued through the executive and published in the Gazette of Eritrean Laws. Because the National Assembly has not sat for more than two decades, the ordinary description of a legislative procedure would be inapplicable.

Enforcement institutions

Office of the Attorney General
Public prosecution within the ordinary court system.
Eritrean Police Force
Civil policing under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Bank of Eritrea
Central bank; administers strict currency and exchange controls.
National service administration
Not a justice body, but the legal regime with the widest practical effect on residents.

Government bodies and regulators

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